THE CHOSEN
by ARCHANGEMON
Summary: He was once known as robin the boy wonder he was once my friend and love now he is the night he is vengace and now he is my last hope to save my kids CHAP 16 NOW UP
1. Chapter 1

THE CHOSEN

CHAPTER I

" WE MEET AGAIN "

Gotham city the worst of the worst place was infested with crime and corruption, the police force was a joke. No one respected them, yet there was silence when night fall came. There was no crime and those who dared commit one, would face his wrath and paid with their sanity. They spoke of him as the terror in the night, no longer was the champion of justice. No, he had become more, he had become the terror of criminals and the fear of evil doers. Times had changed and so had he.

He was the dark knight, he fought a lone battle on those whom broke the law and he made them pay. Gotham was a cesspool of crime and corruption, but he was the one who kept it safe. No criminal ventured out at night, no drugs were dealt, no rapes were committed, because they knew that his eyes were upon them. They feared and spoke of him with terror in their voices. He liked that. It helped spread the word that he was not like the rest. He was no superman, wonder woman or Green Lantern, he was different.

He was the Batman and the night was his domain. He reined his kingdom with an iron fist. Those who didn't obey the rules would be punished, those who abide by them would live in peace. He was a myth and a legend, a horror story that criminals knew too well. From mouth to mouth his name was spoken and the message got clearer and clearer once the criminals began to talk.

Now on high of Wayne Tower, the sentinel of the night observed his city with a sense of pride. No one dare come here to cause trouble, no hero nor villain. Only those foolish enough would dare defy him on his domain. Those who did, paid the price.

There is a break in at 21 and Lexington.

"On my way."

There is an appointment at Wayne Towers at 8, do keep that in mind.

"Something wrong with my last performance?"

Grant is bidding for the company. I will not have him take it from you.

"I'm flattered."

Don't be. It's either you or Terry.

"Funny."

He ends transmission and jumps downwards towards the streets below. His new suit will break his fall and will glide him softly toward his car. The display of him gliding downwards and then banishing in the alley ways will leave a lasting impression on those on the streets below. There will be no crime committed in this side of the city. His batmobile's stealth cloak is activated and soon he is in the air rushing towards the other side of the city.

"Bruce."

Yes?

"You forgot to tell me who was doing the break in."

Some jokers you can handle them.

"Jokers? This should be fun."

Be careful Dick, their weapons are no joke.

"Yes dad."

The tone is sarcastic and Bruce smirks. Richard will never change. He likes that about the man. Slowly he turns off the computer and walks towards his office. At Wayne Manor there are things that need tending to and he for one will be prepared for tomorrow's meeting and he will, as always have to prepare Richard's things for the meeting.

Bruce Wayne now was in charge of his company, with Richard patrolling the city. He was now submerged in his business and was trying to find a way to stop this take over that was being planed behind his back. He was no fool, he knew what was happening and was slowly destroying their little plan. Fortunate for him he was the world's greatest detective.

One hit and the first punk was sent trough a wall, his gaze pierced them and none of them move. Of course they would not engage him head first, he knew as much. They would wait for their leader or the strongest one of them to take him on. He saw the leader, his mask lenses scanning him.

"So the bat wants to play. Fine let's play!"

Cyborg. He hated cyborgs. They were so cocky and over confident, razor hands such a cliche it was beginning to be boring and as the teen rushed towards him, he wondered if he was ever this cocky. A smirk played on his lips. Jumping upwards, the kid slashed at him clumsily and without discipline, one slash to the right another to the left. He raised one leg and kicked him in the chest sending the punk to the ground.

"Hey Laffy, you okay man?"

"Yeah, the old guy still got it."

He stood up bummed, rushed at him raising both his hands to slash at him. He dodged and punched him a right hook to the face, a left to the stomach and one side kick to the skull of the punk and he was out way to easy. Looking at the others he knew their plan to run or attack. If they were cocky they were going to try and fight him, if they were smart they were going to run.

"Ok guys lets do this!"

He smirked. They were not smart. Big guns and stupid gag bombs with acid and gas all molded after the Batman's nemesis. They were creative, but oh if the joker could see them now, he would be disappointed to no end. Not one had an original device on them. They fired and punched, threw and blasted. All they hit was air and the once that did hit were repelled by his cloak. Switching from defensive to offensive he rushed towards them. The surprise was all he needed. Jumping into the air he let lose a barrage of small black bats.

The jokers ran. They knew what they were and as explosions lit up the night sky a figure watched from the shadows a small smile on its lips. Batman, the dark knight was in full swing right now. He dodged a katana slash and counter with a left hook to the upper jaw of the criminal, then threw a round kick to the nearest joker punk, sending him to the ground. Knocked out ten minutes later, they were all done and the bat stood in the middle. As always he had won.

From his belt he pulled a weapon and fired it up into the air. A loud bang and then he was gone and he was once again on top of the buildings, high above the city, where he felt most comfortable. He could see the police lights below they as they picked the jokers up and wondered if Barbara was going to keep them locked up for good this time.

(Richard)

He turned around at the mention of his name and at the sound of the voice. He knew the voice. Only one person in the world spoke his name in such a way that it seemed tender and forceful at the same time. He knew the voice, recognized it the minute he had heard it. He didn't like it. Turning around he faced the shadow and frowned.

"Raven."

The name had effect and the shadow came to life, two glowing white eyes emerged from the darkness and a petite woman emerged from within its cold depths. His frown deepened turning into a glare. For 10 years he had not seen her, yet now she was here in his city. He didn't like it.

"I need your help."

He turns away from her and she frowns. This is not how she wanted to come back into his life but she needed his help and time was running out. Closing her eyes, she takes a deep breath. She has no time for petty arguments and grudges. Stepping towards him her hands grab his cloak and she forces him to turn around and face her.

"Damn it, I don't have time for this, Richard."

"Nor do I, Azarath's politics do not involve me princes."

She pulls something from her cloak and he frowns. The all too familiar symbol stares back at him and he wonders for a second if this is a set up, because there is no way that the man is alive, there is now way that he can be in Azarath. He had taken care of Slade a long time ago.

"You recognize it, don't you?"

"It can't be real. I took care of Slade a long time ago!"

"I don't care about why he is back, or why he is in Azarath. I need your help, Richard."

"Whoever it is, it's not my problem. I have my own city to look after."

"Damn it, he took my kids!"

More to come...


	2. Chapter 2

SIBLING FUTURE

CHAPTER II

"ALL GROWN UP"

She had kids and they were taken by someone he had dealt with a long time ago.Glancing at her he saw the worry lines and the constant fidgeting. She was telling the truth and for once he didn't know how to feel. Their relationship, brief as it might have been, was still one of the best things that had happened to him in a long time, and he was not sure if he still had gotten over that fact. Taking a deep breath he turned towards her and saw

that she spoke the truth.

"I will help you."

She smiles and nods. Walking towards the edge of the roof she expected for him to jump and is surprised when a long slick vehicle comes from above the sky. It is all black. Jumping inside he signals for her to jump in, which she does. The ride is silent and she doesn't expect any more words from him, he is not going to say any thing. She knows the news is extremely surprising as it is, and by the sheer emotional wave she felt irradiating from him a few minutes ago, she knew he still had feelings for her.

The news had hurt him somewhat and she did not expect that. He still had feeling for her, strong ones, that radiated even now trough their bond. She knew that the love he once had for her was still there and this caught her off guard. She was not ready for that news, just as he was not ready to hear about her kids. Now rushing trough the sky of new Gotham, she wonders just how much things have change.

"The symbol you have… it is not Slade."

That surprises her. Looking at the round object in her hand, she wonders how he knows it. He had told her that he had dealt with Slade a long time ago, yet it seems that he knows something more about the subject than he is letting on.

"How do you know?"

"The symbol is an "S" but a different kind."

"No your wrong…"

"Your father is back."

Skath the all-powerful pinnacle of evil is back, the one she had thought she had defeated long ago has returned, and her whole body begins to shake and tremble. Who ever took her kids is working for her father. Now she knows why.

"It will be ok."

"Do you have any idea why he took them? He wants them as the new portals!"

"Them?"

She smiles and nods she knows she has to give him more information about her life. If he is to find them then he is going to need all the clues and all the info straight up, but she knows that even some information he must never know.

"Twins boy and a girl."

"I see...and the portal thing?"

"He wants to replace me with them."

"Can he do that?"

"Yes, if he has a high priest of Azararth then he can... turn them into the new

portal."

"I thought all priests of Azar were loyal to you."

"Things in Azararth have changed... there are new factions emerging, many

don't want me as there matriarch."

That was surprising. No one had ever dared defied the one true leader of Azarath. He knew as much from Raven's own recollections and her tales of her home. Now it seem things had changed and not for the good, he didn't even want to think of the implications these facts brought to the table; if there were new factions, then every single one that did not believe in a matriarch was a suspect. Worst thing off, was if some of those factions worshiped trigon.

There had been cults that did just that on Earth, he had dealt with them soon enough, but the matter was worse if an actual Azarthian was worshiping the demon. It meant that the structure of Raven's world was changing and not for the better, glancing at the view screen beside him he saw the flash of an all to familiar symbol and smirked, grunting he reached for the dashboard and pressed a few buttons. Minutes later Night Wing's face came trough.

"Hey Bats I need... WOW who is the babe?"

"Watch your mouth Terry, you're talking to royalty."

"Say what!"

"What do you want Terry?"

"Hey you're calling me by my first name?"

"Terry…"

The tone of the voice was dead serious, meaning no more questions. Terry Miguinez had learned that the hard way. This girl was definitely the culprit of igniting Dick's short fuse and as for Raven, she just stared at the screen, her eyes widen with surprise. She had not expected to see someone wearing the garments of her old love.

"Ah right, well you know how were supposed to secure the new prototype for

Wayne tech industries?"

"What does this have to do with me?"

"Right, sorry… Ah we kind of lost it and we need your help."

"Why?"

"Ok, well, I guess you could say that your old friends kind of recognized

them."

"Terry!"

"Ok, jeez, they say it has something to do with a guy Slade?"

Raven looked at man beside her and saw him stiffen at the name. Immediately the batmobile change direction and they rushed off towards jump city. Thing swere getting complicated and now Raven was more than worried. If Dick had taken care of Slade, then who was this guy? In addition, why did this new Night Wing seem to know nothing about him?

"I'll be right there. Batman out."

"So he is back."

"Just like last time."

"What?"

The answer went un-heard and she frowned. There was an implication in his words and the way he was acting showed that he still did not believe that Slade had actually returned. She wondered just what had happened in the years she had been gone, what had changed and what had made Richard become the Batman and give up his mantle of Night Wing. Looking out the window she wondered if leaving was the best thing to do, after all she had done it on impulse and had not thought of the consequences.

Fear she regretted had taken over and made her flee from the arms of her lover and into the path that now she was regretting. Her children were not safe in Azarath, as she had first believed. And she wondered if Azarath was any safer than Earth. When she was younger, she had believed that, now she was not as sure. Her own people took her kids from her after all. That spoke volumes of how safe her home world was.

"When we get to the tower don't be surprised."

"Surprised at what?"

"To see families."

Continued


	3. Chapter 3

THE CHOSEN

CHAPTER III

"OLD FRIENDS"

"So what did Batman say?"

"He is coming over."

"I see... is there something wrong?"

Star fire could tell there was something up with Night Wing. He seemed to be thinking about something and he was not paying attention to her. It was as if his mind was millions miles away from the tower.

"Batman had someone with him in the batmobile."

"Oh?"

"A woman with dark purple hair…"

Star Fire's eyes widened and he recognized the look of surprise and happiness on the tamaranian, and yet there was something more. For a brief moment he could swear he saw recognition in her eyes. But as soon as it had appeared it had vanished. She turned around and left. Something was up, Terry knew as much. He might not be as good a detective as Bruce or Dick, but he could definitely tell when something was up.

Turning towards the computer screen, he began to search the files. There had to be something on this mystery girl. After all, Dick would have never called him by his true name if she wasn't some one he could trust. Yet the titan's files did not include any thing on a dark purple haired woman, who was as beautiful as Star Fire, perhaps even more. And he had called her royalty. There was definitely something more going on.

Star Fire looked at Cyborg and smiled. The new team leader was the one she always confided in, and was her best friend. All the titans were there friends, but cyborg was the oldest and most open one out of all of them. Walking beside him, he smiled at her and continued to type another report for the titans files. Yet glancing at Star Fire, he saw there was something up. Turning towards her, he smiled and raised his eyebrow.

"What's up Kor?"

"Has there been any communication from Azarath?"

"Not that I know of why? Something wrong?"

"Night Wing said that Batman was brining a woman with dark purple hair."

"You don't think…"

Raven was the only one who could possible get trough Batman's defenses and be included in a meeting concerning Slade, but the question was who had contacted whom first? Had Batman contacted her and if he had, why? The last time they had seen Raven was when the titans were still together and they were still called the teen titans. That had been years ago, before she had just vanished one morning without a good bye or anything. She had vanished from their lives and in the process broken Night Wing is heart.

If Raven had indeed returned from Azarath and if she had been the first to contact Batman, then things on her world were direr than he had first believed. Leaning back against his chair he began to think. Raven had briefly communicated with them a year ago, to ask for there help in a small Azarath rebellion. Some people believed that by sacrificing, the people of earth, trigon would finally be at peace and leave their world alone, and that was just one of the many factions that now operated out of Raven's home world.

"If she contacted Batman, there has to be something really wrong with her home world."

"Yeah ... damn the girl."

"Cyborg?"

"Dick is going to figure out we had prior contact with her."

"That is not good news... he trusted us."

"Damn it, now were going to have to explain this to Dick and I don't think he will be to happy with it."

"He still loves her, yes?"

"I don't know Kory, but he did search for her for a long time."

Now they had yet another problem to deal with. They walked towards the lower level of the tower, and headed deep within the tower's civilian wing were they lived, when they were not titans and could just lay back and be with their kids. Star Fire flew in front of him and rushed in when she heard the commotion once again. There was trouble with the kids.

"Robin Kor Leticia stop that now!"

Leticia West

Age 10: Daughter to Wally West and Jinx Methuman, inherited powers are yet to be known, active power super speed.

Robin Logan

Age 11: Son of Garfield Logan and Terra Metahuman, inherited powers morphing abilities greater than that of his father, able to control the elements

Kor'ian

Age 13: Daughter of Star Fire a.k.a Kory and Red x a.k.a Aron Lachief, powers yet to be determined, half breed, inherited abilities flight, star bolts.

The kids rushed towards the one who had initiated the whole thing. Garfield Logan smiled nervously at the look the others gave him, Star Fire glanced around the room and frowned, there was Jinx, yet she seemed to un interested in the activities of the kids. She had however a slight frown, which told Kory that she had done every thing in her power to stop them, but had stopped and done what she always did. Had them learn from experience, meaning when they got hurt and began to cry, she would tell them I told you so.

"Nice going there Jinx."

"Oh hush, Victor. I know what I'm doing."

"Do you now?"

"Yes. Garfield is looking after them."

"Garfield?

As much as he wanted to debate with her about the fact that Logan was a much a kid as they were, he had to talk to them about a certain purple haired matriarch or Azarath. He signaled for the others to join him in the family room as it was more likely called. He smiled when the remaining members arrived. Now that they were all together. He typed a few commands into the console beside him and the image of Raven appeared on the screen.

"Wow. What's up?"

"Night Wing, this is Raven."

"R-raven? You mean the girl who contacted us a while back. "

"Her younger self yes. This is she. The woman you saw with Batman, does she resemble this girl?"

"Y-yeah only wow… Man, this is her, isn't she?"

The others turned to a now stone faced Cyborg. He did not like this one bit, and the others could see the way he was acting. There was something up, something bigger than the simple visit from an old friend, even if that friend had left them a while back and broken one of their best friend's heart in the process.

"Listen up gang. We respected her wishes by not telling Dick were she was. Now that she has contacted him… I don't know what is going on, but if she needs him, then that means the situation is much more dire than we first thought."

"Those groups have gotten out of hand and she needs the Bat now. What a bitch."

"Jinx the kids…"

"Sorry, but why does she need him? Why not come to us?"

"I don't know. I guess we will find out when she gets here."

"Ah, I don't mean to be the stupid one here, but dude what about the fact that we knew were she was and never told Dick?"

Yeah that was a concern for him as well. Rrust was a thing Richard and his family did not share lightly, it had taken him almost dying, and Batman, the original one, to come and tell him that it was okay for him to reveal who they were. Now that they had kept this from him, knowing that he had been looking for her, was a betrayal of the trust he had placed upon them. Cyborg glanced at Jinx who stood up and began to walk towards the doorway.

"I won't lie to Richard. He was the one who trusted me enough to give me a chance."

"She is right. I won't betray the trust he had in us."

Jinx smiled at her husband who held her hand. Cyborg nodded. Yeah, Dick had gone to great lengths to help her avoid any criminal prosecution, and not to mention, had even bailed her out of deep trouble with other enemies and heroes, who held grudges against her. Even as far as to make it clear that she was a titan in a press conference. Light Speed smiled at his wife and nodded. They owed the guy at least that much.

"Yeah man. I'm with them. Hell, I know the guy will be angry, but I know if we hide this, then he will go back to his brooding self"

"I'm with my man on this one."

Terra smirked and wrapped her arms around Changeling, who smirked and nodded. Star Fire smiled at them and looked at cyborg, who nodded. Yeah the majority of the team was okay with them not hiding any thing from Dick, then he would follow their advice. He just hoped that Raven and them could take the Batman's anger, because as much as the man had changed when he had come the Batman, he became eerily similar to the original one.

"Family?"

"Logan, Terra, Jinx, Light Speed they are all married and have kids. As well as Kory."

"I see."

"Red X and she had an affair that resulted in their daughter."

That she did not know and she was shocked at the way he had said it. With no emotions, and she wondered if he and Star Fire had ever reconciled after she had left him. It seemed he had never gone back to Star Fire. Somehow she was glad that had been the case. In the distance, she saw the all too familiar shape of the Titan's tower, and a light smile appeared on her lips. She would see her friends once more.

She would see them again and as the realization dawned on her she froze. She had contacted them, she had seen them and asked for their help and now she did not know what to do. Did Richard know? Was he aware that she had been in contact with his friends? Looking at him she cursed at the fact that she had never been able to read him as she could read the others. Not even her empathic powers could help her now.

"Is something wrong?"

"I just remembered the old days."

"I see…"

There was something in his voice. It told her so much more than what his words told her, and she wondered just what the hell he meant by them.

Continued


	4. Chapter 4

SIBLING FUTURE

CHAPTER IV

"COLD TRUTHS"

"Uncle Dick is coming to visit!"

"Yeah this will be great we can show off our new moves!"

"If we get to see him"

Three kids, one huge tower and yet terra never got use to the fact that they could scamper all over the place with out noticing were they went, now she had finally found them. In there little corner talking about there favorite uncle whom they never saw, sneaking up on them she smiled and as always made them all scream in terror when she jumped from behind them.

"Mom!"

"Sorry guys but you get stuck with terry this time"

"Aww man he's no fun!"

"Hey I'm right here you know"

"aaakk"

Yeah the kids were definitely a hand full, especially with a mini jinx running all over the place, rushing to all kinds of areas as quiet as her mother and as mischievous as her father not a good combination. Luckily, kor was old enough to help them take care of the small little monsters, she glanced at the teen behind her and smirked, yeah terry was sure going to have his hand full with them. Even if he was the second night wing he was sure as hell still a teen and needed the training hence why he had joined up with the titans in the first place.

"Ok kids ...robin stop hiding and come on out!"

"I think he turned into a mouse again"

"Oh great licia can you"

"Right here!"

She hated that the kid was way to fast for her own good, looking at the mouse in her hand she frowned at her son, yet again, he was emulating his father turning back into his original form, he smiled at her and scratched the back of his head, and yeah he was a hand full. Terry is grim look told her that he did not enjoy his babysitting assignments they gave him, but he had to do them, some things he was just not ready for and something told terra and the others that this was one of those things.

Leaving him with the kids, she heard the hanger doors opening and knew the batmovile had arrived. Rushing beside jinx she smiled when she noticed the pink hair witch standing in front of the doorway waiting for her big brother as gar like to call them just to annoy the hell out of the woman.

"So your big bro is here"

"Shut up I told you to stop calling him that"

"Aww its sounds cute!"

"Either shut up or I swear that for the next month all you will have is bad luck"

"Sorry sorry jeez pms or something"

"ok your "

"Ladies"

The deep booming voice of dick made them jump and turn to look at him, he always did managed to startle them when he put his mind to it. Jinx smirked and gave him a Hugh, even if she did not like the little pet name gar and the others had given them she did felt close to this man, whom was for all intent and purposes emotionally dead. Yet he some times allowed his emotions to sheep trough, when in the company of friends and she was surprised when he returned her Hugh and gave one to terra as well.

"Good to see you again dick"

"Yeah so where's the princess"

"Right here witch"

He had no time for this, he knew the dislike the girls had for one another, it was pretty much the same kind of dislike he shared with red x his creation come to life. Even thought the guy walked a pretty fine line when it came to crime and justice, he was considered more of the good guys than a bad guy, still he was no friend of him, not after what he had done to star fire and her kid. Terra smiled and followed behind him letting the two women battle it out behind them.

"So how's Bruce?"

"Angry"

"That to be expected"

"I'm missing a meeting at Wayne enterprises"

"Ouch that is going to cost you later on"

"Bruce can handle himself I'm just there to show them that when he steps down ill take over"

"Isn't that grand"

A small smiled and she nods, yeah her job is done, she has cheered and somewhat relieved the tension she had seen in him, yeah being married to Garfield Logan wasn't half-bad. Entering the meeting hall cyborg and Logan rushed towards batman is side. he smiled yet again, after all he had not seen his friend in quite some time, Logan of course hugged the man whom was his child is god father, while cyborg simply greeted him with a hand shake same for light speed and star fire.

Jinx huffed; stomped past them and sat down on one of the chairs that was in the conference table, raven stepped in a couple of minutes later and batman gave her the floor, she needed to explain her situation to them as well as tell him the complete story. Walking towards the other side of the roof he noticed the titans is reaction, he saw the lack of surprise on there part and frowned jinx is behaviors was had been odd as well as terra's, now looking at the others and reading them he knew that they had had previous contact with the empath.

"There has been a development in my home world"

"Ok were all ears"

Throwing the medallion on the table the others frowned at the all too familiar symbol. There it was an "S", cyborg nodded to beast boy who threw another medallion with a similar "S" and dick frowned, they were identical, and as raven began to tell, the tale of why she had come, Richard is mind worked on the facts that had been laid out in front of him. Two similar "S" symbols a kidnapping, a stolen prototype from Wayne tech and the faction on azarath they did not make any sense.

"The factions have become unstable and are now seeking power the order of azarath has tried to contain the situation but has failed"

"Wow hold on you telling me these new factions took over?"

"No but they are making moves towards powerful positions"

Cyborg nodded and crossed his arms, glancing side ways at Richard he could see the man was deep in thought and wondered just what the hell he was thinking, or if he was even paying attention to there conversation. Yet when he slightly turned towards him cyborg is skin crawled and shivered, the guy had definitely become creepier. He was listening in on the conversation, thinking and keeping an eye on his surroundings he smiled and turned to the conversation.

"What does slade have to do with this?"

"R-batman has a theory"

"Dude what's the theory?"

"Its not slade is it?"

Jinx could see the batman is blank stare scan the room, looking at each of there reaction and knew that what ever he was going to say was going to be good, he was assessing how well they could take the news and how much he should reveal. Logan had a point tough what did slade have to do with this mess.

"Not slade the theft at Wayne tech and the chaos on azarath this is the work of raven is father"

"Oh hell no you don't ...deam it"

"Is that bad?"

The others turned to look at the blond and pink haired women and frowned of course they had no idea what they were talking about one had been a stone statue the other was god knows were with the hive

"W-well explain"

"Raven is father is trigon the terrible an interdimensional demons born out of the hate and anger the azarath people held in there hearts"

"It was born out of all evil batman not just hate and anger ...m-my people purged themselves of every single trace of evil from within themselves and became pure as it were"

"They didn't count on this evil manifesting itself in the form of a super powerful demonic entity that even I know about?"

Jinx was a bit angry and as her husband tried to calm her down; batman is fist hitting the table brought them all back to why they were here. Once jinx had settle back, he glanced at raven and with his eyes told her to remain quiet, he did not have time for this and neither did she so she obeyed and bit her tongue.

"The point is trigon is back and the theft at Wayne enterprises was a mere bait maneuver"

"I do not understand why bait us if no trap was set?"

"Kory is right if it was bait why not sprung the trap"

"They are clever I can yell you as much"

"Ok better start explaining dude you're giving me a head ache"

"They wanted to throw us of the trail whom ever did the heist at Wayne industries left the medallion on purpose to lure us away from the real treat"

"So the medallion was left to make us think slade had come back"

"Yes a matter of magic you keep you eyes on the left hand but the right one is doing every thing"

They nodded and understood what he meant, the two medallions were identical to much of a coincidence, and not only that the prototype weapon was just that a proto type. It was in the experimental state not even completed, now with the knowledge that trigon had returned they had to admit that the S could be from scath and not slade, raven took a deep breath and sat in the far of chair of the table she needed to tell them why she had come here.

"T-they taken my kids"

"WHAT?"

Turning towards her they all froze and cyborg slammed his hands on the table, now it all made sense, glancing at batman to see if he was right he cursed out loud when the dark knight gave him a nod confirming that he was right in his assessment of the situation. Things were not good at all, cyborg sat back down and while the others asked and prodded raven for answers about her children cyborg could see batman trying to make a plan of his own both of them walked away from the others.

Who ever had done this was good; they had placed a distraction on earth to keep them away from azarath. They figured the matriarch would not leave her throne to seek help, they were wrong and now it was up to them to find a way to stop them, scanning the screen in front of them they each began to formulate a plan.

"If we are to help her I need the entire information victor"

"Yeah I figured as much"

Dick was no fool he knew there was something going on with them, there reactions were off and he knew he could not lie to him. Unlocking the files he saw batman is shoulder tense and his eyes turned to slits, he had read the information. For 10 years, he had looked and searched for raven, walking away from cyborg and out of the room; the titans looked at one another and turned towards cyborg who pointed at the computer.

CONTINUED…


	5. Chapter 5

THE CHOSEN

Chapter 05

"LOSS"

(THE PAST)

Every thing had changed, raven is disappearance made the news and every one was talking about it, the news was reporting on a possible death, speculations were everywhere but no real facts were given. Truth was the public was beginning to ask for answers to the super hero community in this case the justice league; so far, they had no answers. The titans were quiet about the whole thing and even there leader had shut himself off from the world, while every one wondered, he remained away from it all. Raven is disappearing act had become a source of gossip and multimedia criticism, the news couldn't get enough about it and the villains couldn't help but wonder just whom had been the one who gotten lucky. As per the heroes they all wondered one thing, why wasn't robin speaking up, why was he simply quiet.

In the watchtower the man of steel looked at the dark knight with a piercing gaze, he had been asking for answer for a while now but so far, the guardians of Gotham seem to be as tight lip as ever. Not only that when he had been summoned to this unscheduled meeting he had just walked pass superman and headed straight for the computer console, the man of steel frowned, this had gone far enough.

"Have you gotten any news?"

The dark knight finished typing the transport coordinates into the computer but then turned towards the kryptonian with a glare.

"About what?"

The dark knight is gaze did not even fazed the man before him, after all the two were equally match, both were imposing figures and knew how to handle themselves. That how ever did not mean that superman like the stand off the man of steel is frown deepened.

"That girl called raven's disappearance isn't something that can easily be dismissed"

This whole time he knew that; that was the question that would be asked. So far, batman had no answers to give him, but even If he did, he wouldn't tell him any thing. He respected dick is wishes to much to reveal what he knew, Richard how ever was tight lip about the issue and would just walk away when the issue was brought up.

"The titans is affairs are not any of our business"

That was a bull face lie and superman took a step forward, it was time to put some pressure on his long time friend. The media, the public every one was screaming, demanding answers and it was time to get to the bottom of this no matter what the cost.

"Bruce this isn't something that can be played out, they are kids for god sake"

To this superman could see the man before him turn away from him and consider his words, there was something odd in the way that the batman is mood shifted. This worried the man of steel; batman was now radiating an air of annoyance and anger that gave him a tingle in his invulnerable skin he couldn't quite shake off. Piercing white eyes turned towards his own blue ones, yet before any more could be said or done a soft voice floated trough the room.

"Is something wrong?"

Diana is voice always did managed to break the tension, yet before superman could say or do any thing the dark knight walks out and the man of steel is fixed with a deadly glare by the Amazon princess.

"Diana"

Previous conversations with the princess had told him that he would not win this argument but he had to at least try to explain his actions, she was a sensible woman yet she always seem to take the batman is side. He had seen the change in them, and knew that there was something more to Diana is glare.

"Not another word"

"You have to understand that this isn't a"

"You have no idea do you, don't ever assume that you know what its like to worry for those kids, my god Clark, Richard is his son don't you think its hard enough on him knowing the dangers they face"

That had been the thing that had made Bruce snapped, he realized that now but it was too late and the damaged had been done. Superman had implied that he did not care about the titans nor that he knew the fact that they were kids, two things he shouldn't of have never assumed, batman was the first to taken on a side kick. Robin was the leader of the titans, if there was one being on earth who was worried to death it would be Bruce.

Diana glanced at the man before her and could see that it had finally dawn on him that he understood why she was upset, the fact of the matter was that even tough Bruce seem to be unaffected by this whole thing he was not immune to it. He was hurting far worse than any one of them, they could never understand because unlike him they did not have a child risking his life for the principles of justice.

"Diana I never meant to, god this situation is hard enough as it is but why isn't Richard coming forward with any kind of info"

To this the man of steel saw the far away look on Diana is face, there was so much more to this story and he knew Diana had a better understanding, her look turned to that of sadness.

"They were involved"

That was the missing clue that is why Richard had been avoiding every thing, which is why the teen had closed himself off from the world and vanished from the face of the earth. The teen had hidden himself away from his team and every one at Wayne manor, she had seen him training in the bat cave with Alfred close by keeping a close eye on him. It was sad to see the young happy teen turn into what she could only describe as a miniature version of the dark knight, not the batman but the close off man he had once been.

"So that is why"

"Bruce doesn't know exactly what happened dick hasn't been to forward with any info, he just figured it out"

"So he hasn't said any thing?"

"No, he is broken hearted Clark"

That was something he knew no one could handle; and with Richard being a teenager it was bound to hurt a lot more for him, taking a deep breath superman now understood a lot better. The kid must be dealing with this whole mess the only way he knew how, to close himself off from the world, that was what they did and with Bruce as a parent, he knew that the boy was handling as best he could which meant that he was an emotional mess. He did not even want to think about what that was like.

"How is he?"

"Before you ask no, Bruce hasn't had any luck, the kid is just shut himself out from the world in the bat cave even Alfred"

She had called him Bruce, she had called the batman Bruce and now that he thought back trough the conversation he had picked up a few other things, she had a note of familiarity in her voice when she spoke of them. That was odd in itself but to be defensive about Bruce and his family, now he was sure that there was more to Diana is words and actions.

"You just called him Bruce then your voice had a hint of warmth to it when you mentioned Alfred, calling Richard dick, not to mention knowing were he is. Diana?"

The woman cursed at herself and took a deep breath, she had given too much away and now superman knew more than he should, she had to come clean the man of steel was her best friend. They had been since she had arrived in man's world and yet now revealing this to him was odd, she knew how Clark felt towards Bruce, they might be friend but they were as opposite as day and night.

"I'm seeing Bruce"

The man of steel had been stumped, frozen to his spot by that revelation, Diana and Bruce seeing one another as in romantically involved. That was not expected. Diana saw the way she flinched and frowned, she knew that there relationship would be unexpected and would take the others some getting use to but she was sure that Clark had seen the sings, or at least give her a chance to explain herself.

"What!?"

"This wont affect the team dynamics or"

"Diana how in blazes will you, I mean you can't just what will the media say!?"

"That I'm dating Bruce Wayne multibillion dollar playboy and nothing more!"

She couldn't be serious but the fact of the matter was that she was, he cursed and wondered if the whole world had gone mad. For one instance, he believed that she was kidding but he had seen the truth behind her eyes and wonders just what they were thinking; shaking his head, he walks towards the side window and tries to calm himself down. Diana can see the confusion and worry on the man of steel and wonders if this had been too soon, aside from that she and Bruce had agreed on keeping there relationship a secret. After dealing with superman she would have to handle Bruce, some times she wished her life were far less complex.

Superman for his part couldn't help but feel a sense of loss at that fact that Diana had started a relationship with Bruce. Diana and he were always on the same side they were like siblings and so forth, yet now it seems that it might all change, Diana for her part could see the worry on his face and the doubt on his eyes.

"Have you thought on how this will complicate things?"

"I have, so has he we both know what cards we have been dealt and we both are pursuing this course"

The thing about that course was that it would be one of the hardest ones they would face, yet it seem that his friends were ready to handle what lay ahead; this how ever did not help the situation at hand.

"So it would seem, this how ever doesn't help our current situation"

"Give the boy some time"

That was all they could do, give Richard some time, as per Richard he looked at the costume behind the glass cabinet and frowned, the red and yellow stared back at him and brought memories of her, time when they had been together before she had vanished. After three months he had not found a single sing that she had been taken, all of his leads all of his investigations had lead him no place. Even Bruce had aided him and had come up empty handed, now all they had to go on was an obscure cult that worshiped trigon, tonight he was going to go hunting, but the costume didn't reflect his mood not any more.

He had been pondering the old saying about how time healed all wounds, they said that it was all it took to heal a wound, but this one seem to be raw and opened, it seem to sting, he had felt pain unlike any other yet this was so different and new that it had weakened him. It had made him weak and vulnerable his friends had all told him to move on to stop and just live but he couldn't, she was gone she had left him.

If he were to go out in this night as robin he was going to die, robin was weak, his emotions his love for raven had made him weak and a liability. He couldn't go out like robin; robin was dead. Turning towards his old friend, he smiled at Alfred and walked towards the back room, Alfred saw his young master walk to the back room of the bat cave and frowned.

"Will there be any thing else tonight master Richard?"

"Will there be a cloudy sky tonight al?"

The teen shouted back from the back room and Alfred frowned, that had been an odd question, the first to come out of his mouth in days.

"I believe it will sir"

"Good"

"Sir?"

He had been in the cave for the past month, he had been thinking, wondering and figuring out what he had to do, stepping out of the back room Alfred gasped and Richard smirked at the man. Sure, Alfred had helped him made it but it was one thing when it was a piece of armor on a table then when it was a piece of armor worn.

"Good I need to stretch my wings"

He was no longer cheerful a small smirk was on his face, cheerful when was he ever cheerful? No he always pretended to be cheerful he always hid behind a mask of a boy his parent had raised, his mother is little robin was personified trough that costume but that was not him not since the moment they died, there deaths had changed him, made him see the reality and made him grow up. He had stopped being that boy when the sorrow of there deaths forced him to see reality.

Now with raven gone he had nothing left, star fire, cyborg and beast boy had all been there for him but it was not the same, when he began a relationship with raven it seem that her darkness complemented his own and they remained in balance. When she had vanished he had no need to pretend any more what little happiness he had left was sucked away in that moment. Robin died, it was time that Richard showed his true colors and stopped pretending to be something he was not.

"Very well"

The dark suit suited him now, the robin had served its purposed but it was time it was laid to rest and for him to show his true colors, this new set of pain had woken him up. Had made him see the truth, so it was time for change as well, now he was not a kid living the role his parents wanted him to live, now he was living his own life, he had a purpose. He would hunt that cult and find her, there was no stopping him, there was no stopping Night wing.

**(THE FUTURE)**

"Dick please understand"

Whatever cyborg was about to say was put on hold when he felt batman grab his arm, hauled him off the ground, and was slamming against the door that lead to the conference room. The titans all gasped and moved out of the way when they saw there leader come crashing trough the entrance of the file room, from the room emerged a very angry batman, they could see and feel the anger radiating off of his form. He glanced at each one of them as if judging them, there reactions told him all he needed to know, they flinched or adverted there gaze. They had lied.

"Richard"

Terra looked at the man and stopped dead in her tracks when she saw his glare, slowly he glanced or more precisely glared at each one of them before turning towards the main source of the problem, raven. The woman was unfazed by his glared or at least that is what she hoped every one saw because right now she was worrying to death, if Richard decided to not help her then her mission had failed before it had even started. She knew she shouldn't think like that but despite worrying about her children, she couldn't help but feel ashamed at what she had done to the man who had given her nothing but his love.

"You have helped her out before on your own, you can do so now as well"

Star fire rushed towards cyborg who was a bit daze, in all truth he was surprised that Richard had the muscle to be able to lift him off the ground, but to send him crashing trough something was surprising as hell. The titans turned towards batman and knew that there was no Richard there the batman had taken over.

"Don't shut us out"

Raven is voice broke the silence and batman is glared became even colder, walking towards her he stood towering over the petite woman who stood her ground, she wasn't going to back out not when her children's life's were in danger. Richard was boiling on the inside, she had the audacity to try to be cordial with him, lights speed saw the way dick was acting and frowned, if he didn't do any thing soon he was going to probably blow up on raven. that was something they didn't need right now, moving faster than any human on earth he stood between the two.

Jinx looked at her husband and saw his hands clenching and unclenching, he was uncertain as to how to deal with the situation but she recognized that he had dealt with this side of Richard before. She on the other hand was surprised to hear such a cold voice coming from Richard, glancing at the room she knew that she was not the only one surprised to hear it, beast boy seem to be upset and wouldn't even look at batman. The other were on the same boat all but one, raven the one who had caused all this was staring right back at the man who had just sent her to hell, had sent all of them to hell.

"Don't shut you out? Maybe you can ask your friend what happened when you left"

That comment was directed at light speed that flinched at the accusation and reprimand behind the dark knight is words.

"This isn't about us Richard"

Raven is eerily calm voice made light speed frown, why couldn't she just be quiet while they thought of something, Richard was right she had not been here when all hell had broken lose and they had lost Richard.

"No, it's not about us so why now? They have helped you out before why bring me into this?"

She had no answer and the titans saw that she had lost the argument; the question remained tough, why did she want to include him. Logan stepped forwards and took a deep breath, this was not about that right now, this was about two kids who had been taken and needed help.

"I know your hurt, but we have to think about raven is kids"

Batman closed his eyes and turned away from them, Logan was right but that didn't make it all right, they had betrayed him all of them had known were raven was. They knew were she was and had even aided her on separate occasions now they wanted his help he hated them for it but Logan was right, this wasn't about them, this was about those kids.

"I'll be in the roof"

He needed to think this trough, his emotions were near the surface that could cost him, he had been battling them for years now, he had suppressed them and yet all that had come crashing down when he had seen those dates. They had assisted her in several missions, they had gone to azarath to aid her in her struggles and yet they had not told him any thing had not informed him, they had left him in the dark. His years of searching for her had all been in vain, he had asked them to help in turn they had claimed ignorance and told him nothing.

Walking out of the room he couldn't help but feel a sense of loss, he had lost his family; jinx looked at the dark knight and frowned. This man had done so much for her and yet right now she had seen him hurt, she had seen the sadness over take him and the way his shoulders slumped downwards when he walked out of the room. The titans were like his family she knew it because they had become hers, to feel a betrayal of that magnitude had to have hurt him; despite the way he had acted, she knew he was hurt.

"Jinx were are you going"

Cyborg had seen jinx standing up to follow batman out, he had to stop her or else dick was going to push her away and hurt her. Jinx on the other hand just stared back at them and frowned, neither one of them seem to want to confront him, to try to reason with him nor offer up a valuable explanation.

"I'm going to talk to him"

"He is not going to listen, its better to leave it alone for now"

"Sorry but I wont do that"

Her husband heard the resolve on her voice and frowned, there was no stopping his wife when she was like this, victor turned towards him and he smiled.

"No point in talking her out if it Vic, she is going after him"

Cyborg shock his head, this was going down a path that would make rifts in the team, rifts he didn't want to deal with, not when they had a dangerous mission ahead of them.

"Jinx this isn't"

"I know you guys know him better than I do, I admit that but I wont leave him by himself, not when I know he is hurting"

With that, they let her go and light speed smiled when jinx winked at him, it seem that his wife was ready to confront the man he knew she saw as her brother. Turning towards the others he could see the worry behind there faces, sure batman could be and asshole when he wanted to but he knew dick all to well and knew that despite what he might be feeling right now he wouldn't hurt jinx, besides his wife was not some one who hurt easily. The woman could handle dick.

"What the hell happen victor?"

Changeling looked at cyborg who frowned told them what had happened, the other could only sake there head, this was bad. Out side of the room three figures looked at one another and frowned, they had been listening in on the conversation for some time now, after ditching terry they had all gone to see what there parent were going on about and why uncle dick couldn't play with them. They how ever didn't realize that they would find there uncle angry.

"What do you think?"

Leticia looked up at kor, the 13 year old was a bit disturbed by what she had found out, it seem that the woman was a princess and she had hurt her uncle. Turning towards the other she smiled and shock her head, what could she tell them? That the lady had hurt uncle dick and that she didn't know why, that wasn't much of an explanation.

"I don't know leti, I wish we could go talk to dick but you saw how angry he was"

"Besides that terry is going to be mad we ditched him"

Kor nodded, Logan had a point, night wing was going to be looking for them, much as she hated to admit it there was nothing they could do, this was, as her mother would say, grown up matters.

"I don't care uncle dick is hurt, mommy said so herself"

"Leti don't"

Before kor could do any thing the 10 year old was gone, she cursed and looked at Logan, he had the same mind set as leti. shaking her head she wondered what would happened when there parents found out they had ditched terry, listened in on there conversation and gone in search of a missing leti who was currently heading to the roof to join her mother.

"What do we do now?"

"We follow her, that's what"

"Were in trouble aren't we"

"Yeah we are"

Leticia West was fast, faster than she realized, when she had run off from kor and Logan she had done so with the intention of catching up to her mother, she had never expect to beat her to the roof. So now here she was facing her uncle who is face was turned towards her, his whole body was obscured by darkness the only thing visible were his eyes. She wanted to say something but couldn't, slowly he walked towards her and she closed her eyes.

"Why are you afraid?"

She opened her eyes and saw him leaning down, she looked at him and then at the sky.

"W-we hear you arguing and that you were mad"

"I did and I am, but never at you. You never have to be afraid of me, none of you do"

Leticia looked at him and smiled a bit shy, she should have known better than to be afraid of him, he was her uncle. He extended his arms and she rushed into them, he stood up with the girl in his arms and looked at the moon light. What would it be like to lose a child? He couldn't even begin to think about losing Leticia, or kor'ian or Logan, they were not even his and yet the thought sent shivers down his spine.

"I'm sorry I know I shouldn't have listened in"

"No you should of, but I'm glad you did"

"You are?"

"Yes, if you hadn't listened in then you wouldn't have come up here and I would still be mad"

"You're not mad any more?"

"No"

He placed her on his shoulder and she smiled, she had helped her uncle after all, batman turned once again to face the door that lead to the roof and smiled when he saw jinx standing there.

"So you have decided?"

"Yes"

"I HELPED!"

"So you did leti"

Leticia jumped from the batman is shoulders and rushed towards her mother, she jumped to her arms and jinx smiled, it seem that her little girl had made Richard realized something, good now she wouldn't have to do any thing. To tell the truth she wasn't all that trilled to have to talk to an angry batman, turning towards the man she saw his gaze and frowned, he was still hurting.

"Leti go find the other ok"

"Ok, I must have scared them running off like that right"

"Yes, now go and find terry ok"

"Oh okay mommy"

She rushed off and batman smirked, the girl was as fast as her father, turning towards jinx, he saw her serious look and frowned. She had come to talk to him about what had happened and for a moment he wondered if she knew all along what had transpired between himself and the others, jinx had joined the titans not long after raven had left and he went on his own to find the mystic. Turning away from her, he looked at the sky once more; jinx stepped beside him and elbowed him on the side.

"You two had history I gathered?"

"You didn't know?"

"Give me a break Richard, I would have told you if I knew"

"Would you?"

"I think you know I would, so would have Wally"

That had made him smiled, it seem he still had some friend.

"It's good to know that not every one betrayed me"

"Stop right there Richard, we both know that they had to have had a good reason for doing what they did"

"You're defending them"

Batman is laughed unnerved her to no end, it was hollow and filled with pain, turning towards him she saw his cold gaze staring at something far off, way beyond the city.

"Richard what happened between you two?"

"I loved her that's what happened, I loved some one"

"W-what?"

"They kept that little detail out did they; they didn't tell you that we were a couple"

"N-no they didn't"

She had helped them on missions but she had never known of this little fact, then again she never had a reason to wonder about such things, by the time she had joined the titans Richard had been long gone and had started fighting crime as night wing.

((((((((((((((((((FLASH BACK))))))))))))))))

Jinx looked on at her old friend and wondered what had happened, she had turned against them and joined the good guys just because of some guy, she shock her head and closed her eyes. This was nuts, she didn't even know if there relationship was going to last, looking at her exfriends once more she saw them being loaded up to one of the police is specially designed vehicles, each one of them glared at her and called her a traitor and much worse. Then she felt it, a hand grabbed her shoulder, looking up she saw one of the cops holding a pair of handcuffs, it was one from the metahuman division.

"You're under arrest too"

"What!?"

He wasn't joking, neither were the others one who were currently aiming there guns towards her, she jerked away from his touch and glared at the man, she had helped them apprehend her old friend and this is how they were going to repay her? It didn't make any sense.

"Don't fight us or you'll regret it"

"What the hell is this i just helped you bring down the hive!"

"That might be but you're still wanted!"

She clenched her fist and heard gizmo laughing, that made her anger boil over, she had fought with them and had even saved some of them from mammoth and this is how they were repaying her? To bad flash wasn't here, he would have made the guy eat his words, but then again he wasn't here and she was alone with an army of armed cops who would like nothing better than to have her resist her arrest.

"Look I been on the side of good for a while now"

"Just give me your hands"

"No"

She jumped away and was about to run when a laser blast hit her leg, she cursed and looked at the officer who had fired upon her, she had saved his life not five minutes ago and now he was detaining her, is this what it meant to be on the side of good? She glared at him and raised her hands, she was not going to hold back her punches, if they wanted to take her in then they were going to have one hell of a fight in there hands.

"She is resisting every one stand read…y"

He was about to give and order when something jumped infront of them, standing between the cops and jinx.

"Are you all right"

Jinx looked up from the ground at the man before her, he was wearing all dark and she couldn't make out his face, only two pair of white eyes staring at her, in his chest a blue bird was all she saw. He knelt in front of her and looked at her leg, she flinched when he touched it, he frowned. Those bastards had been using full force blast, while it was true that they were fighting mammoth not five minutes ago jinx was a different meta entirely they should have known this.

The full blast would only stun a meta like mammoth but for some one like jinx it would be fatal, reaching for his belt the figure with long hair pulled something and placed it on her leg, turning towards her she saw him smiled.

"This will hurt for a minute ok"

"Who are you?"

"Night wing"

"Night wing?"

"Hey you get away from our prisoner"

After applying the small patch on her leg he stood and face the armed cops, his stared fixed on the one who had shouted the order, he pointed at him and smirked.

"She is coming with me; you want her come and get her"

The man laughed and turned towards his squad, he had heard of this new vigilante in Gotham and was not impressed to him these so call heroes or vigilantes only got in the way of real police work.

"Fine by me"

As soon as those words left his mouth night wing was high in the air, he released a series of flash bombs that blinded half of the force, blinded and disoriented they began to fire wildly and night wing took full advantage. He landed in the middle of the squad and pulled his boo staff, there was a group of ten around him, taking them down would take less than five minutes. He stood up and slammed his boo staff into the head of the nearest one, the one next to him turned toward the sound and fired only to hit the third one on the right.

"You missed"

Panic began to fill there minds and emotions ran high, before they knew what they were doing they were taking each other out' and night wing danced around them. Dodging and jumping away from there blast, punches or what ever else they threw his way; all the while making his way trough towards the one who had gave the order to take jinx. The police captain could only stare in horror as the man made his way towards him.

"What the hell are you guys doing take him out now!"

The one who weren't blinded rushed towards night wing and the longhaired man smiled the first one to rush him pulled a knife and slashed at his right, one side step to the left and night wing countered with a right elbow to the side of the guys Is head. The next two rushed towards him at the same time, he jumped and high kicked the first one on the chest sending him to the ground, landing on the ground after the kick he did a sweep kick and knocked the second one on the ground. The third man was approaching him, bolting to his feet he threw an upper cut and knocked him out, now there was only the captain.

"Well?"

The captain glared and raised his gun, if this punk thought he could humiliate him in public than he was sorely mistaken, he fired a couple of shots but hit nothing but air, night wing was already crouching on the ground and two birdarangs were heading his way. One hit his hand making him release his gun the other knocked him out.

Walking past the devastated group he kneel down and lifted jinx into his arms, the girl only stared at him and frowned, why was he going trough all this trouble just for her, did he even know who she was or what she had done in the past?

"W-who are you?"

"A friend"

"Huh?"

"You don't remember me do you?"

He turned to face her and she frowned, he smiled a cocky smile and her eyes widen it couldn't be, it was weird; this was not robin this was a completely different person staring back at her.

"Robin?"

CONTINUED…….


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"THE CHANGE OF HEART"

(THE PAST)

Jinx looked at the place was and smiled, the hang out this kid had wasn't bad at all. It was dark damp and pretty scary, it made her feel right at home. The man how ever just looked on and smirked at her, she was still limping but her amazed look wouldn't leave her face, it seem she was still getting use to see in him in an all black costume. The pink haired girl however just turned towards him and raised an eyebrow, truth be told the man looked good in dark, especially with long hair but she like red heads.

"So what happened to you?"

Night wing smiled, she hadn't changed at all, sure, her costume was a little different from what she would normally wear but she had remained the same, her dress was longer, that was it really. Fighting crime with a skirt had to have been complicated but a dress. That had to be hard. So here, she was confident as ever facing him down as if no years had passed.

"Nothing much, just grew up I guess"

"We all do, but I thought you were still with batman"

"Another robin"

She nodded, it was kind of weird to see batman with robin by his side, sure it was a different costume and hair stile but it was essentially robin, creepy part was that he seem to remained the same age. She had believed that robin was a small person at first, flash had laughed and told her to not think about it all that much, now she knew why.

"So what happened?"

She saw him flinch and knew that she had hit a sore spot, then again she didn't know what she had said exactly, true she was curious as to the change and as to why he had split from the titans, oh sure she had hear the rumors. Hell every one knew them, robin knocking up raven and disappearing off some were to have there child, or how he murdered her or how she murder him, all you had to do these days was pick out a news paper and see a different version on its pages.

"Let me see your wound"

So he had changed the subject he wasn't about to explain what had happened to a complete strange, specially one who was dating Wally. Walking over to her, she raises an eyebrow and jinx smiles, so the big bad night wing was blushing.

"What's the matter never been this close to a girl?"

"Shut up, sit down and lift up your dress"

"It's a battle garb, fighting in a mini skirt is complicated"

"This is different?"

She slapped him on the back of the head and he smiled, truth was she had never let any boy be this close to that area, or see her long legs bare, mainly because of her pale complexion, she had always felt a kinship to raven because she reminded her of herself so much, skin an all. What surprised her was the fact that night wing didn't seem to mind her complexion, not one bit.

"That patch I put was over the layer of burned clothing, that burn is going to leave a scar"

"One more to add to my collection I guess"

He nodded, they all had there fare share of scar collections going, finishing his work he stared at her and frowned, it had been two months since she had changed sides and still she was on the run and cops hounded her every chance they got. Wally should have said something but he had just been assigned to the justice league, he didn't want to jeopardize the league by speaking in name of a former villain now turned girlfriend and hero.

That and the fact that they already had there hands full with his whole mess, raven is disappearance despite dwindling down to nothing but a buzz still made head lines, the league didn't need another incident to happened, at least not so soon, jinx had seen the way he was staring at her and frowned. The robin she had know was a whole lot different than this one, despite knowing that he was robin he seem too different to actually be him.

"What are you thinking?"

"How serious are you about becoming one of us?"

She raised an eyebrow and looked at him with a serious expression, he was serious and she couldn't help but feel as if she was being given a chance, he was looking at her in a different light; this was her chance. Taking a deep breath the words wouldn't come, so she simply nodded and night wing smiled he placed a hand on her shoulder and she saw his smile, she didn't know why but that told her every thing. It made her feel better and it made her believed that despite every thing every thing was going to be all right, that is how empowering his presence was.

After telling her to rest on the spare bedroom on the second floor of his hide out he want out and pondered about his next move, night wing was a vigilante, he wasn't a hero type. Batman would smile at that and he cringed, walking to the console on the main computer, he pushed a button and a small compartment opened. He had not seen the small device in quite some time but he knew it still worked, taking it in his hands he pushed the button and was surprised to hear his voice on the other end.

"Cyborg here"

"It's me"

(THE PRESENT)

Truths, it had all been about the truth, she could understand that and could see how much it had hurt him, how they had hurt him and yet he was willing to help them. Hell he had even seek them out for her sake and yet they had not told him that they knew were raven was, they were so good at lying, how would it feel to be betrayed by your family? She didn't know and frankly, she didn't want to know.

As per night wing he felt the utter fool, he hadn't seen trough there lies he had been a fool, all this time his friends had known of her whereabouts and they had lied to him. They had not told him, that hurt him but what really angered him was the fact that he had been so caught up in his world that he had missed the sings and had refused to see that they had known were she was, maybe he had been afraid.

A cold and hard smiled played on his lips had he been that hearth broken? He didn't know what was funnier the fact that he had once believed in happiness and happy endings or the fact that he still had some feelings for the woman, turning towards jinx he can see the small smile on her face. He has only a few minutes to decide if he will aid them if he will help her.

"If you leave now I won't hold it against you"

"I wasn't leaving"

The truth was he had thought about it but had decided against it after all there were children at stake, turning to head back inside he turns to jinx and smiles. The woman just shakes her head and knows that for him the issue is over, he is going to close himself off, just as he has done so many times before.

"We should go get the others"

What more could she do but follow him towards the conference room, he was right to be feeling off and she was right to feel angry, angry at raven for doing this to him, to them. It was something she was not proud of she had done many things that she was not proud of and the guilt she felt now when he saw the man before her was enough to quench her resolve to not strangle raven to death.

"So umm every thing is cool right?"

They had walked back into the room and they all froze, they knew that this man was neither the robin nor the night wing; this was not Richard Grayson. This was the batman and as such, they could no longer try to be his friend, they could no longer jest with him or try to talk as they once did, it was all business now. Logan didn't like that, he looked at robin his friend and waited for an answer, he had spoken just out of instinct that was just his way. That how ever didn't stop the batman from looking at his old friend, he smile, a hollow smiled.

"It is"

Changeling smiled and nodded he had noticed, but he did not care. His friend had changed, it was true but there hidden under the garments and the façade of the batman the heart of a robin still beat, and he was glad his friend had not forgotten them or shun them aside like he had done to any others whom tried to get close to him. Cyborg and the rest continued to try to make some sort of plan, the azarath politics could jeopardize there standings if they were ever going to interact with them. The justice league had left the world on it own for that same reason, azarath refused help or intrusion from outsiders.

There policy was simple, if any hero were to intervene in there matters then it would be consider an act of aggression not only from the heroes but from earth as well, azarath matters were of no concern too outsiders, that was there policy. Earth had taken a similar stands on the subject, they had simply warned that any one who went in the aid of the world would be considered a free agent and if they were to be apprehended while on that world they would be on there own.

The batman was all to aware of this, glancing at cyborg he saw the man simply nod and they reached an understanding, there personal matter was closed, there focus would be on the mission at hand. They were going to go in so that would mean that they would be on there own, that how ever left with who stayed behind, jump city and Gotham still needed to be protected.

"We still have jump city to protect so not all of us can go"

Cyborg was the first to speak and batman nodded in agreement, turning towards the team he gave them options, cyborg frowned, he knew he was a good leader but the fact of the matter was Richard was born to lead.

"I am aware of that and I can't very well leave Gotham alone"

"Ok I think we can have it cover"

The batman nodded, they needed to pull there resources together and form teams if they were ever going to get trough this with out jeopardizing the security of there respective cities. Raven watched her old friends talk and plan and marveled at the sight before her after, all this time they were still a tight nit group and still trusted each other as it seem cyborg quickly stepped down the role of leader when batman was present and he didn't seem to mind nor take any offence to that fact.

The titans had to be divided, there was no other way for them to secure both Gotham and jump city, then there was the team that would be sent with raven, turning towards her they told her what they had come up with. raven agreed with there plan stating that not every one could accompany her on her mission, only two other people would be allowed to join her and batman as it took to much magic to open the portal and to not upset the already decaying balance she had in azarath.

"Me and terry can handle Gotham city along side kid wicked and angel"

Star fire smiled calling the reserves would be a good idea, kid wicked was a mute by nature but his powers of transportation and teleportation were very effective, as per angel, well the girl was a good fighter and had powers that were yet to be identified. Aside from that she wouldn't leave kid wicked is side so it made sense. Besides angel was the only one who could talk to him via telepathy.

Cyborg turned to star fire who nodded and stood up, as much as he wished he could accompany his long time friend to azarath he knew he had to stay behind.

"I will remain on jump city, beast boy and light speed can join me"

Raven couldn't agree to that, cyborg could help more than any other could, it was not because of his strength or firepower but because he could talk to batman as an equal.

"Is that wise?"

Raven looked at them and batman spoke, raven frowned when she heard it. It was cold and hard. This was not Richard or robin this was some one different.

"We will need some one with some magic on our side and jinx will be of great help, terra you will come with us as well."

"Why her?"

Raven turned towards the blond who smirked, she knew that Richard was going to pick her; after all, she was to be trusted.

"Well let's just say I kick butt all over the place"

Cyborg drew every one's attention and began to point out the assignments.

GOTHAM TEAM:

Star Fire

Night wing

Kid wicked

Angel

JUMP CITY TEAM:

Cyborg

Light speed

Changeling

AZARATH TEAM:

Raven

Batman

Terra

Jinx

Terra smirked and winked at the purple haired girl, it was fun to annoy raven again, raven on the other hand just nodded and turned to leave, she felt as if she had been betrayed and she wondered if her friend still had her back. Yet after what she had seen just now she wondered if they even considered her there friend any more, they had chosen to remain behind and send those she had least known. jinx and terra, she never had the greatest relationship with them to begin with and now they were going to aid her in rescuing her kids, she wasn't sure how that made her feel after all they had been enemies once.

"I think they are still at the conference area"

"I know I heard them too"

"You should go check"

Three kids two girls and a boy one a tamaranian the other two seem human enough for the exception that one was bouncing all around running from one area to another at high speeds and the other one had pointy ears

"Children"

The sons and daughters of her friends, they seem so happy.

"Oh man who's the scary lady?!"

The pointy ear boy jumped behind the tamaranian child and turned into a kitten, the green eye girl stood firm but raven could see the fear in her eyes. She was also trembling slightly as for the little speedster she was running around all over and then she froze.

"Uncle Richard!!!"

Before she knew what was happening the girl had ran past her and into the batman is waiting arms; he smiled and swooped the child upwards landing her on his shoulder, soon two more blurs rushed past her and the two other kids were beside the batman who had a very out of character smile on his face. The tamraranian teen smiled up at him while the boy hung from his arm trying to get his attention all the while the three of them continue to talk at the same time.

"One at a time kids"

"I can change into a bear want to see!!"

"No he has to see me first I can run as fast as dad now!"

"If you want I can show you my new techniques"

Each one of them wanted to know if he was all right and what the all the fuss was about, they were kids after all, the man reassured the kids that every thing was fine and lead them away. As he walked away with them, raven could only see a father whom was walking away with kids that weren't his own, a hard twist was all she felt and her heart was in the middle of it. He might be the batman to all and Richard to the titans but he was so much more and she was the only one that knew that taking a deep breath she returned towards the others to talk about the plan to save her kids.

One last glance at the fading figure of the batman and she wondered just how things could have been different, if he only what had made her leave him behind, if he only knew whys he had done what she did. She knew things could be different but she didn't know if it was right to tell him, after all this time she could not help but wonder what if?

CONTINUED.


	7. Chapter 7

THE CHOSEN

THE CHOSEN 

Chapter : 07

"Reflections"

Twelve hours had passed and for most of the titans it had been a roller coaster of a ride, for each members the night is events had left many questions opened, questions that no one seem to ask. Despite this the team leader had order them to get some rest, so each one had left to there rooms and as the titans left the conference room one man and one woman remained, he staring at the massive monitor reading data that cyborg had left him and she staring at him. She wanted to talk to him but for the first time in a long while, she had found no words to speak, no way to break the silences that seem to be stretch every time the two were alone. 

Ever since her encounter with the children of her friends, she had been questioning her motives, questioning why she had come to him. When she had seen him with the kids it made her angry, made her want to yell at him for being so close to them and to demand things from him but she stopped herself, one thing she would not do was lose control. Yet despite this she did feel sad, she had been confronted with a side of him that she did not known existed, she had seen him as a father and it hurt her to realize just what she had taken away from her children and from him. 

He deserved better, she should have at least given him a chance but despite that feeling of regret, she knows that her decision had been the right one, because despite how much she had wanted to be with him she could not.

"Something you need?"

His cold voice made her snap out of her thoughts and look at him for the first time. Oh sure she had witnessed him in battle and talked to him before but now, now that they were in a room alone, she could see that the batman was more of a costume to him than he or any one else realized. The batman made him strong made him capable of facing the worst situations with out him losing control. Closing her eyes, she knew that if she wanted this matter to end with out any kind of trouble she also needed to take upon a persona of her own, but not of raven, raven had been the problem all along. 

"I need your assurance that our past will not interfere with our mission"

He flinched inwardly and his voice became even colder than before.

"Our past? 

It was lucky for her that she was hiding behind her hood or he would have seen her flinch. She closed her eyes and nodded, he had understood and that was all she had wanted from him. 

"I will see you in the morning then batman"

He nodded and she left the room, he glanced back at the screen and took a deep breath, this mission was beginning to become harder and harder the longer it went; that is why he was going to stay in front of the computer and analyze every bit of data cyborg had. That way the mission could be over and both of them could return to there lives. Closing his eyes, he smiles and shakes his head, after all those years in the dark he had finally seen and realizes what the others had been telling him for years.

"You're not a fool"

He tells himself and at the same time, he curses himself for being so weak.

"You ok"

The voice comes from the door way and when he turns around he sees terra staring at him, her eyes are serious but he can see the concern hidden behind them, he nods and wonders just how much of the conversation she has heard.

"I am fine"

She frowns at his answer but she knows better than to question him or ask for an explanation, Richard is as stubborn as his old man so there was no point in wasting her time on comforting words or sympathetic glances, all she could do was be there for her friend and hope that he came to her. 

"Good, now get some rest you need it more than any of us"

"I have to go over the data and"

"Nothing, go straight to bed or I will make you"

He cannot help but smile and nod at her, slowly he walks towards the door and she reaches for his shoulder stopping him, he turns towards her and she looks back at the room. 

"For what is worth you are no fool Richard"

"Yeah?"

"After all this time you held out hope that she"

"Stop"

Terras closes her eyes and let's go of his shoulder, slowly Richard leaves and she takes a deep breath, its time she had a nice long talk with her old friend. Stepping out of the conference room she heads in the opposite direction that the batman, raven had crossed the line and she wanted to known why she had brought up there past; there was no reason no need to bring up such painful memories for the dark knight.

This was a difficult situation for all of them not just but for Richard the situation had to be unbearable, not only had he just found out that he had been lie to all this time by his friends but that raven had known all about him and what he had been up to. He was no fool she knew that Richard had found out all about raven keeping tabs on him via the titans. For the most part terra had never liked how the titans handled the situation and how they had kept Richard on the dark when they knew how much the situation meant to him. 

"Hey raven!"

She had managed to catch up to her and she was going to give her a piece of her mind. 

"Terra? What is it?"

"I saw what you did back there"

Raven looked at her once friend and raised an eye brow, it seem that her little conversation had been over heard and now terra was coming to her friend is defense, some how that irritated her to no end. It irked her that terra could be this close to Richard or ever had the right to stand before her and demand an explanation for her actions.

"Oh?"

"Stop playing games raven"

Terra is temper had its limits and this had brought her to the end of hers, she wouldn't just stand by and let raven hurt Richard. She knew what it was like to feel betrayed and she was not going to let her friend go trough the same pain she had went trough because some woman suddenly wanted him back in her life.

"I am not playing games"

Raven could see the anger filling terra is face and decided to put some anger into her own words, this was getting out of hand and she was going to end the conversation before it got out of hand. 

"Then what are you doing?"

"Our history can't get in the way of the mission" 

"How much will you hurt him before the mission is complete?"

Raven took a step back and shock her head, this conversation had no point terra would not understand and she was in no mood for explanations. 

"My children is lives are at stake"

"I am well aware at what is at stake here raven, just stay away from him"

That made raven snap, her anger had been boiling steadily since terra first came over to defend Richard but now with those words it had driven the dark empath over the edge, who did terra think she was? The nerve of the girl to tell her to stay away from Richard, she had no right to demand such things from her. So it was no surprised when raven is powers activated and terra was slammed into a wall by a dark claw. 

Raven glared at terra and was about to put pressure on the claw but a hand on her shoulder stopped her from squeezing any harder, turning around she saw jinx is smiling face.

"I would let go if I were you"

The black claw faded and terra dropped to the ground coughing and trying to catch her breath, jinx turned to her and shakes her head. The woman needed to learn when to back off, raven had always been somewhat of a time bomb waiting to go off, turning towards the purple hair girl, she only sees the back of her cape; it seems that raven had had enough for today. Terra smiles and watched her leave, it seem that the girl still had some conflicting emotions when it came to Richard, and something told her that the empath had been sensing all of Richard is emotions from the moment the two meet.

"What was that about?"

"Just nothing, nothing at all"

Jinx glared at the blond woman who smiled, it was clear that terra had done or said something to provoke raven, but she was never going to get terra to tell her what she had done. Despite knowing that jinx couldn't help but feel as if she had taken it a bit too far, provoking raven was not a good idea. 

"You ok?"

Her husband walked towards her and she smiled, she knew she had taken a chance with raven but with her friends and family around there was no way that she was in any real danger, besides she had gotten what she wanted. She turned towards Logan and smiled, there was no need for them to worry on her account she had a feeling that before all of this was over things were going to get a lot more complicated. 

"Don't worry hon, I'm ok"

"Didn't seem that way when you were slammed against the wall"

Jinx is reprimand was bad enough but when her husband gave her his puppy look she had to give in; she knew that telling them was going to give off some alarms. But then again they had known the two far longer than she had so they should have an insight into what she had just learned, if it was of any important than Logan would know.

"Look I don't want her to hurt Richard any more ok"

"What did she do?"

Jinx is murderous voice made terra and Logan shivered in fear, both of them knew how close she was to Richard and knew what would happened to any one who tried to hurt him, for the most part this was a good thing but for some one like jinx it was as trouble some as it was surprising. Richard had been there for jinx when no one was willing to trust her and had been the one to give her a real shoot at turning good. 

"I think she brought dick into for personal reasons"

"WHAT!?"

This time cyborg and star fire joined in, they had heard the commotions on the hallways and decided to check it out, they however had not expected to find there friends in the hallways discussing raven and Richard. There was no way terra is words were right, but then again raven is behavior had been odd since she had laid eyes on dick, it was as if she had been searching for something. 

In truth, they had all noticed it but had been too busy to bring it up or didn't think it was important enough to mention, now that terra had brought it forward, they knew that it might be more important than they had realized. That however didn't mean that she was right on her assessing that raven had just included dick because she missed him, there had to be something more. On previous mission to azarath they had done well against what ever came there way, so why now? Why did she want dick in this mission.

"Honey I think you bashed your head on the wall a lot harder than you thought"

Logan smiled at his wife and terra frowned, the man could be so close-minded some times, then again looking at the others, she could see that they were thinking the same thing. She knew that it was not as simple as raven missing dick it was so much more than that, she just figured that they would understand what she meant, apparently they didn't. She knew that it was far more complicated, this was raven they were talking about. 

"Funny, but its more than that and we all know it"

"It maybe related to there bond?"

All heads turned to star fire, she cursed when she remembered that she had been the only one to know just how deep raven and robin is connection had been. Mainly because she had once dated the boy wonder, and that the little bond Richard shared with raven was the main reason she and Richard had broken up. 

"Both share a mental and emotional connection"

"When did that happened?!"

Beast boy looked all around him and saw that all of his friends were asking themselves the same questions, when the two had original gotten together they were more concern for star fire, they hadn't paid that much attention to either raven or robin. It seem that this had caused them so miss key details into the why the break up had occurred in the first place, which is why they were now here and awaiting star fire to continue her little story. 

XXXX FLASH BACK XXXX

Slade had come back and in doing, so he had brought back robin is obsessive personality, and despite his team is efforts to get him to open up or get him away from his "slade phase" they had failed. Star fire is efforts seem to also be in vain; every thing she did seem to annoy the boy wonder and pushed her further away from him. The breaking point came when star fire had demanded that he talked to her, she had claimed that her girlfriend titled gave her the right to demand and explanation from him; this infuriated the boy wonder and had been a sore spot between them. 

"As your girlfriend I demand that you give me and answer!"

Robin took a step away from her and glared at his girl friend. There arguments had worsened but this had been the first time that star fire had demanded something from him and he didn't like it, she had been on him ever since slade had returned and he was done with trying to explain to her why this was so important. 

"Then perhaps you shouldn't be my girlfriend"

Star fire is temper was only fueled by his answer, oh she had been hurt but she wouldn't back down, she had done that to many times in the past and had only gotten her more hurt, she needed to stand up for herself and show him that she wouldn't back down, not any more.

"I don't believe you"

Robin smirked, he knew that what he was about to do would probably break the girl is heart but he had no choice. 

"I don't need you to believe me, as team leader I needed you to be on the best fighting conditions you could be, if I had rejected you then you would have lost your powers, isn't that how it works with you"

She remembered what had happened on that planet, when he had told every one that she was not his girlfriend, ever since that day she had noticed that he had been different towards her, had put more attention to her. 

"LIAR!"

It couldn't be true; he could of fake all of this just to get her to fight.

"Think what you will but go think some were else, I'm busy"

The cold voice send star fire rushing away from the room, robin is fist slammed against the wall and he cursed, he knew that what he had just done was the only way to make star fire leave, it was the only way he could accomplish his goal and bring slade down. 

"You hurt her feelings again"

The disembodies voice of raven made him flinch, he had already gotten rid of cyborg, beast boy and his girlfriend he didn't know if he had enough juice left to deal with an emotionless empath. Truth was he didn't want to deal with her; he didn't want to even face her.

"Shouldn't you be meditating?"

"That is not going to work on me Richard"

He hated her for using his name, and yet he couldn't shake off the small shiver that ran down his spine every time she spoke it. 

"Then what is raven? I'm tired of running you out of this room"

"Then leave the room behind"

"I need to figure out what he is up to"

"Why?"

"Because I have failed to many times"

She saw terra is stone body, she saw how slade had taken her away and felt the despair he felt. Slowly she approached him and placed her hand on his shoulder, she needed to see that he had not failed her, that if it were not for him she would not even be here. Slowly she opens her side of the bond and let her memories merge with his, robin felt the familiar sensation and pulled away, he could not open up to her.

"W-what was that?"

Robin could not afford to be found out, so he pushed her out of his mind he knew that she was still having some trouble dealing with what had happened to her when she had been turned into a child, so merging minds at this point was not a good idea. Raven might not accept it but she was still fragile from the whole ordeal, she was still recuperating mentally and now with emotions it would not be an easy road for her, so he could not let her find out how he truly felt towards her.

"You should leave"

Shaking her head she couldn't help but feel confused and tired, he had done something had put all of his mind to shielding her from something. In her efforts to show him that he was not a failure she had failed to strengthen her mental shields so when he had pushed her out of his mind, had pushed her with force. 

"Your didn't need to be so rude Richard"

"I'm sorry"

Slowly she faded into the ground and once more dick cursed, he was pushing every one away but it had to be done, he had to focus on slade had to stop him, he had to keep his team safe, he had to stop him before he hurt them before he hurt her. 

"I wont let him hurt you raven"

When morning came, he still found himself in the room, only this time he wasn't worrying about slade, he was worried about his team. He couldn't go out and face them, not after every thing that he had said to them.

"Are you all right"

Star fire appeared on the door way and robin nodded, she was the last person he wanted to see, as for the girl she looked surprisingly calm and collected. 

"I'm fine"

"About last night"

"I was leaving, but I wanted to talk to you……I hear what you said"

Robin frowned and shakes his head, this was a conversation he didn't want to have, not when star fire didn't know the truth behind his words. She had not been there when they had faced off against slade, did not know how much raven had been afraid and how worthless he had been in the fight.

"About that"

"You don't need to explain it to me"

"I think I do, you don't understand, you don't understand raven and me"

He could see the way star fire tenses up when she heard the empath is name, he knew that his and raven is growing friendship bothered star fire, in fact it was one topic that started countless arguments and fights. He knew that what she had hear was going to get misconstrued and blown way out of proportion; and no matter what he said or did there was no changing her mind all he could do was listened.

"I would like too"

She was never going to understand him, understand the situation because in reality he was still trying to get a handle on the whole situation himself, truth be told he had never seen raven as any more than a friend, but that all changed when she went into his mind and her mind opened up to his. From that, moment on every thing had changed and as frightening, as the experience had been it had allured him had called to him and it had attracted him to raven.

"You can't, this is a part that I can share because raven is involved"

He could see the hurt look on her face and despite knowing that he should do, something he couldn't this was what he wanted. From this moment on the lie would end and his relationship with star fire would finally be over, what he had told her before was no lie, he had been concern for her ever since the incident in the planet were her powers faded, to be honest that moment had always stuck up on his mind. If it weren't for that moment being always present in his mind he and star fire would have never been officially together. 

"What are you keeping from me? Can I at least know that?"

He thought about it for a moment and despite knowing that the following words would end his relationship he spoke them aloud and for some reason he was glad he had finally done so, he knew that he could no longer keep hiding, not when he wanted to keep working on stopping slade. 

"We have a bond"

Her reaction how ever was not what he had expected, she just nodded and silently left the room, after that he knew that there, relationship had ended. His friendship with the others had been strained but he could managed, he had lived in the darkness and in solitude for long now that it wouldn't be that much of an inconvenience to get reacquainted with his old friend, he wanted to be left alone after all.

XXXX END FLASHBACK XXXX

The titans is expression were mixed with various degrees of confusion and shock, they seem to be wondering or more precisely trying to pick what there next words should be as to not offend star fire. after all they all remembered what star fire had been like after the break up and how hurt she was, no one wanted a depressed star fire moping around in the tower. Star fire for the most part was thankful that her friends were so considerate, after all this had been the first time she had spoken about her past relationship with Richard or had mentioned the reason for there break up. 

When she had broken up with Richard, she had refused to speak about the subject and when ever it was brought up she either dismissed it our walked out of the room, eventually the titans had just let it go and things had returned to normal, her relationship with Richard and raven how ever had never been the same. She had resented the fact that raven was indirectly responsible for her break up and that the bond still existed with Richard even now thinking about it, it brought up bitter memories and left a bad taste in her mouth. 

As for the titans who had witnessed the whole incident, they could only exchanged glances and nod in understanding, the green man once known as beast boy remembered the incident all to well and knew how hard those times had been. As for cyborg he just grinded and shock his head it seem that his friends had not changed at all.

"So ah what do we do?"

Terra was good at reading people and so far all she got was hesitation, her husband along side with the other founding members didn't known how to deal with the situation or would rater avoid the whole thing but she was not going to allow that to happened. They could all pretend that the past was in the past but all that got them was more trouble, they needed to realize that the past was coming back and haunting there friends. 

"You keep and eye on her and I will look out for Richard"

Jinx spoke and terra nodded, she could do that, she never quite like raven but knew how to give some one a chance, after all she had gone trough it was the least she could do. 

"What?"

Changeling was about to protest jinx is words but was stopped by a hand on his shoulder, turning towards the person it belonged to he saw cyborg is smiling face. 

"They are the ones going on the mission dude and beside I think were to involved"

Changeling wanted to protest but he knew his friend was right, they were to close to both Richard and raven to be of any help, what was more they knew that they could never side with one or the other. Terra and jinx on the other hand had not been there when they whole thing went down, terra had re-joined a few months after the break up and jinx had never been aware of all the drama, the only bad thing was that both girls were closer to Richard than to raven. 

"You're going to be fair right hon?"

"Of course"

Terra smile and changeling rolled his eyes, with his wife he never knew what to expect, the others smirked and decided to retire for the night, tomorrow was going to be a busy day, yet for one sleep and rest was the farthest things from his mind. 

XXXX (The Batman) XXXX

On high on the top of the titan's tower, the dark knight watched the night sky and wondered about the last 12 hours, every thing had been turned upside down and side ways, his friends had lied to him, and a woman he had forgotten had returned asking for his help. However, what was worse was the fact that she had returned and had acted as if there time together had been none existent, as if it had never happened and that she had children. That hurt him the most, she had been able to move on and while he had tried to all of his attempts had failed miserably.

Taking a deep breath the batman looks at the door leading to the inside of the building and frowns, there is no point in going inside and trying to rest, sleep was not going to come tonight and that was just fine by him. He needed to keep processing what had happened; ever since raven had showed up, he had been wondering one thing and one thing alone. 

Why had she hid from him? Why the secrecy? Why not contact him? As much as he dwells on the subject, no answers came to him. When she had vanished, he had been devastated and had done every thing in his power to find her but when the years went by, he had isolated himself from every thing and every one, hence why he had ended up in Gotham. 

He had wanted to become like Bruce, to hide from the world and just live his life away from emotions that would only weakened him, so when Bruce had retired he had taken up the mantle of the batman and had worn the cowl with honor, but there was so much more. The cowl of the batman shielded him, made him strong and made him forget his pain; he wore it as a shield and hid behind it. It worked and his life had returned to normal he forgot about the pain in his heart and the void raven had left; slowly he began to mend and with time the pain had turn into a small ache and the void had began to fill. 

"Why did you come back?"

He clenched his fist in anger, after all the years that had gone by she had decided to return and throw his life into turmoil, no explanations no nothing just a cold reminder that his suspicions had been right, that she had never cared for him as much as he had cared for her. 

CONTINUED…… 


	8. Chapter 8

THE CHOSEN

Chapter: 08

"TRUTHS"

There was tension in the titan's tower ever since morning came calling, since the teams had already been setup they were now gathered around in the top of the tower looking at a huge portal that stood behind the dark empath known as raven, she looked at them and smiled once again thanking them for there help and yet despite her words they others couldn't help but feel uneasy about what was about to happen. They were going into unknown territories were god only knew what was awaiting them, the last thing raven had wanted to do was to discuss her situation on her home world and despite there attempts at trying to figure out what was the situation they had came up with nothing, what was worse was the fact that raven had refused to give any details on what would await them.

This didn't go over to well with the others but they had already decided to help her, batman had simply smiled and walked out of the room; stating that she could keep her secrets, soon his others teammates followed behind him; not liking the situation cyborg had tried to make raven talk but all he got was a speech about how she could only tell what needed to be known, what that meant he had no idea and in the end he didn't give a damn about what she was trying to hide. Eventually every one had left her alone and there she had stood simply looking at the ground asking for forgiveness.

Raven knew that her friends had taken a huge risk in helping her yet despite that fact she couldn't reveal every thing to them, not when there was so much at stake and so many things that needed to be done before there arrival, shaking her head she had simply walked out of the room and headed for the top of the tower to start her preparations.

"So it's been over half an hours are they coming or?"

Raven frowned, they had only joined her 30 minutes ago, and she had been here for three hours.

"Sorry were late but batman wanted to…well you know"

The voice snapped every one out of there thoughts when they saw terra and jinx come out from the stairwell; they were not expecting to see them in some sort of battle armor, one which was all black and leathery. Changeling whistled out loud and darted to his wife, and while light speed wanted to do the same with his own wife he was stop dead cold when he felt the glare his beloved sent his way, she was clearly not comfortable in the battle gear.

"WOW! I MEAN AH"

Terra and the others laughed out loud when they saw the expression on Logan is face, aside from the fact that his mouth was hanging open his eyes were far to wide to be on a human skull, oddly enough his brain had seem stop working, that was until terra walked up to him and slapped him behind the head. He smirked and looked at his wife up and down.

"Can you stop staring? It's kind of embarrassing"

"Sorry it's just amazing what black leather and armor platting can do to a woman, I mean"

"Logan!"

He laughed and scratched the back of his head in embarrassment, he had forgotten that they were surrounded by there friend and despite him being a loud mouth that some times let things slip he could never EVER reveal what his wife and him did in there private time, or more precisely what they were into. The others just laughed out loud and jinx blushed when she saw her husband winking at her, sure they had talked about it but leather was just not her thing, or turn on for that matter.

"You know honey we could"

"Shut it or I will shut it for you!"

Once again laughter erupted when light speed smirked and took a step back from jinx, and yet the others couldn't help but feel slightly embarrassed by the look on terra and beast boy is faces.

"Are we quite done?"

Raven is voice broke them out of there little discussion and all of them turned towards her, she had a serious expression on her face, remembering the situation they were on they shifted gears and immediately began to ask question about there little trip.

"Sorry about that, ok back to business then. Tell us what will we need in this trip of yours?"

Jinx smirked at the frown on raven is face, she didn't like raven is attitude especially when they were so close to a mission, levity was the one thing that was needed here and raven had ruined it all.

"Nothing much, when we arrived every thing will be provided for you"

"I will not leave my weapons"

The voice came from no were and they all turned towards the sound of the voice, when they saw no one they all prepared for an attack that never came, raven turned around and saw batman stepping out from behind the black portal. Frowning she wondered how long he had been waiting back there, and why had he not said any thing.

"They will not be needed, we are simply going to………"

Batman frowned and looked closer, the way she had spoken told him volumes of what this mission would entail, if he had read her right then this was not a combat like situation were they would go into battle. He wondered what exactly was raven playing at, if things had been so serious and her children had been taken then they were going to need every thing they could carry, yet it seem that there was more than a simply recovery mission as she had first lead them to believe.

"This is all very confusing and personally I would really like to"

Terra spoke and then all of her senses began to scream that something was wrong, looking towards the others she could felt hat they had a similar feeling going trough them, but if this was some kind of an attack then who was responsible?

"I'm sorry……PLEASE FORGIVE ME!"

"You bitch!"

Jinx screamed out loud and the others immediately braced themselves, the attack came from out of no were, no one expected raven to unleashed her bird self on top of the building, the energy from it sent every one flying off into different directions and while some managed to block the massive energy flow the sheer force of the energy managed to daze or stunned them. Jinx had been the only one who had blocked the attack, her senses had warned her before hand what was going on, she had felt raven gathering her power a minute before it was unleashed.

"W-what the h-hell?"

Beast boy shock his head and looked at raven with a glare, the girl was surrounded by dark energy and her bird form was behind her holding batman in one of her claws, he was knocked out cold.

"Every one alright?!"

Jinx screamed out loud but all she heard were groans and moans, the only one who seem to be all right was Logan and light speed, and that was due to the fact that they both had high metabolisms due to there powers.

"Yeah I'm quite all right hon, just got the wind knocked out of me"

"GUYS!"

Changeling is voice caught there attention and they all turned towards him only to turn there heads once more, only this time to were he was pointing at, raven was walking trough the portal with a knocked out batman in her bird's claw. Jinx clenched her teeth and rushed towards them only to freeze when the other claw began to attack her.

"I am sorry but I have to do this"

Her words were of little concern to the ones who were currently trying to recuperate, slowly but surely she walked trough the portal but just before the portal banished jinx and changeling were behind the other side waiting for raven. Raven looked at the two before her and frowned, they had passed trough the portal before her? How was that possible, they couldn't possibly move that fast; yet they had and now they were waiting for her.

"H-how?"

"I am light speed remember"

She heard the voice to her right and then felt batman is body leave her bird is claw like hand, she smirked and turned towards the now four individuals in front of her, she had not taken into account jinx is husband and that had cost her.

"You shouldn't have come"

"Yeah, yeah but were here so open up that little portal of yours and well be on our way"

Jinx smiled at her husband, he had seen the situation what was happening and had acted accordingly, by taking both her and Logan he had stuck to the original plan and had brought a team to azarath, it might not have been the right team but at least dick was not alone.

"Better do as he says raven, we are not too fond of people kidnapping our friends"

Changeling glared at her and raven winced, this shouldn't be happening, things should be a lot easier but her life was never easy. Taking a deep breath she fixed them all with a cold glare while pleading for forgiveness on the inside, what she was going to do next would have to be explain later on when they were all safe, for now she needed to keep up appearances and so she snapped her fingers and summoned her followers.

In mere minutes small flares of dark energy appeared all around them, these flares changed and formed into armed cloaked men.

"Guards"

Raven spoke and the cloaked figures all pointed there spears at them, light speed smirk and was about to move when a hand held him in place, he turned towards the source and found his wife shaking her head in the negative. This was not the time for such foolish attempts, they had an injured teammate and Logan still looked a bit daze.

"I can take them"

"I know, but they are no the only ones that are here"

More and more cloaked men began to appear all around and soon light speed stopped his argument, there was no point in taking down thousands of them when there were other thousands waiting in the shadows. He lowered his fist and took a deep breath, raven had won this round, jinx looked at the dark empath and frowned, what ever the girl was planning she was not going to get away with it.

"We give up"

"A wise choice"

Raven signaled the guards to take them captive, before she walked right pass them and signaled the others to pick up the batman is prone form, they lifted him up and followed behind her, but just as she was about to leave them behind she heard a whisper that sent chills down her spine.

"You hurt him you die"

Jinx's words were the last she heard before they were taken away, raven took a deep breath and cleared her mind of her ex-friend is words; they would only get in the way of what she needed to do.

"What shall we do with the intruders?"

"They are not to be harm, as for him take him to my personal chambers"

"W-what?"

"He is the one Matthias"

The man is eyes widen and shock his head, after all this time she had finally come to her senses and brought proof of her claims, now the council should have no grounds to argue her position and this conflict should end with no blood being spilled. Signaling the remaining guards to do as raven had spoken he begins to walk right beside raven a small smile on his face, Raven can only shake her head, she knows that she will not hear the end of this. Matthias had told her to do this from the beginning, to bring proof of her claim and be done with the whole thing but she had been too afraid, too afraid to face him again.

This was all her fault, if she had only listened to the man is advice then all of this could have ended before it had even began but she had failed to do and now they were in this situation, a situation she had created. Looking at batman she wonders of what his reaction would be to all of this, he had been hesitant from the beginning and while its was true that she had used her children to bring him here it was also true that her children had been taken from her, she however never knew if they were in any real danger. She took a deep breath and tried to focus on the lies upon lies that she had created, lies that were all around her.

"Why do this? Why not talk to him?"

"I don't know Matthias, I just…..ever since this whole thing started I been second guessing myself, every decision I make every thing I do it's always been questioned and now….I just don't know any more"

"You must keep all of this hidden from the council, if they see any sings of hesitation they will not hesitate to take your position from you"

"I know Matthias; hopefully this will prove to them that what I say is the truth"

"It's been far too long, you and I both know that it will not be as easy as that"

"I know"

"He will need to invoke the right of fatherhood"

"I KNOW DAMMIT! Do you think this is easy for me?"

"If he does not do so"

"He will do it"

"How can you be so sure?!"

"Because I know him, because………he loves me"

Matthias looked at her and frowned, despite every thing that had happened between the two, despite all the time that had passed they still shared a bond, they were still care for one another.

"This will crush him"

"I know"

She had kept the children a secret, she had never told him that he was a father or told her children about there father, closing her eyes she refused to let her tear shed, she needed to be strong, strong enough to face the council and win her right back.

CONTINUED.


	9. Chapter 9

THE CHOSEN

THE CHOSEN

Chapter: 09

"TRIBULATION"

There was a fine line that should never be crossed between friends, one was due to romantic feelings developing and others were betrayal, the second one applied to Richard Grayson, he was currently being held captive by his so call friend, by the one he loved. Raven had done this to him, had chained him in a dark room and removed every thing that gave him strength, his cape an cowl were gone, the belt was also missing but he was the batman. A small smile worked it's way into his lips and slowly he flexed his hand and a small pin extended from his wrist glove. They had not removed his costume, just the things that gave him his strengths, what they didn't know was that he was not any normal prey, he was not a normal human.

Slowly he worked the small little pin, found the locking mechanism in the wrist cuffs and they were off, first his right hand and then the left one, looking around the room, he found no doors, only four walls a ceiling and the floor. Since he was in azarath it meant that the people who held him would materialized, he smiled, it seem that they had deem him dangerous, or they wouldn't have cuffed him to the ceiling.

Slowly he noticed a shadow flickering to the right, he made no movements and gave no indication that he had seen the movement but he had, his peripheral vision was one of the best in the world. Slowly the figure materialized and moved towards him, but he was ready, before the figure could reach him, he spun around and gave him a spinning high kick. The figure dropped to the ground before he knew what had hit him.

A small smiled played on Richard as he pulled a small crystal from the men is cloak, it seem that not all of azarath is citizens had powers; this could be a good thing. Placing the small crystal on the wall were the shadow had come from he smiled when the shadows began to engulf his whole body. When it was over, he had emerged on the other side of the wall, what he saw surprised him. It seem that he was in some kind of prison and on the wall, there was a sphere showing the inside of the room he had just been in. Looking around he found a long hall way, in the walls there were spheres all leading there own rooms, rushing towards them he began to check them but his friends were no were to be found.

"Hey!"

Looking at the end of the hallway he frowned when he saw two figures rushing towards him, same uniform as the one he had laid out, he waited for them and then pressed the crystal on the ground and just as before the shadows began to envelop his body and he was outside the hall way. He had guessed right, the crystal was not just for his prison, it was for the entire complex, easy way for the guards to transport and the prisoners to remain inside. Those two guards had come out of no were, which meant that they had the same kind of crystal, that is were he had gotten the idea from, that being said he needed to get out of here, if he was right then they wouldn't be to far behind.

Looking at his surroundings he cursed when he saw another hall way, this whole complex was a prison, which meant that he needed to get out of here fast, if this place was a prison then they would be monitoring what was going on, which meant that they were all ready on there way. Pressing the crystal on the floor again, it happened and then again, until it stopped working when he reached a level filled with guards.

"Valiant effort, but that crystal only works on the prison is inner walls, once your reach the outer walls then it stops working, lucky for us you reached our room first"

"That is what I was thinking"

The guard saw the smirk on the man is face and frowned, this was no show, and this was the man being what he truly was.

"T-that's impossible, we out number you 15 to one"

"I trained to fight worst odds"

The guard is eyes widen and then the man moved faster than any other human he had seen move, he rushed towards them with no hesitation behind his moves, he was sure of himself. Outside the room two figures watched trough the small sphere on the wall, one looked on in amazement while the other smiled. He knew that he was he was outmatched and yet he fought on, it was unlike any thing that he had ever seen, the guard were experience fighters, they had been trained to fight yet this man was matching them.

"Amazing"

Matthias looked at the figure beside him and frowned, she seem to be un affected by what was happening, it was quite the contrary she was smiling as if she had been expecting this.

"He was not lying; I have seen him fight at least a hundred people at once"

Raven smiled and turned towards Matthias only to see a surprised look on his face, what she was saying was not possible, no human could do what she claimed he could, then again if she was going to put him trough what he thought she had to be sure.

"T-that not possible"

"It is"

She vanished and then re-appeared inside the room, Richard turned towards her and frowned, he had been searching the guards for a way to get out here, but it seem that it was all for nothing, this whole thing had been staged by her. Raven could see no hate or anger from him but something told her that he was hiding something; raising an eyebrow, she frowned when she realized that she could no longer sense any thing off, of him, what was more it seem as if she couldn't read him any more.

"Surprised?"

She was, Richard was not here, this person who ever he was, he was not Richard and he wasn't here either. Frowning she realized what had happened, she hadn't predicted this.

"Matthias!"

The figure outside the room frowned but then he saw what she had seen, the figure before her was vanishing into thin air, then he remember were they were and before he could do any thing, he was grabbed from behind.

"I suggest you tell us how to get out of here"

A voice froze him, there was no way he could be out here, how did he figure out there plan, how could he have seen trough there plan, it wasn't possible, there was no way he could have known. A second later raven materialized outside the room and frowned, Richard was holding Matthias while an inmate was holding a stun staff.

"How?"

"She knew me, she no longer does"

Raven frowned, those words might hold some truth to them but she was not going to listen to them, if she didn't then all hope was not lost, Richard glared at her and nodded to the inmate to take a position in front of them. If she tried any thing then the inmate would be the fist to go down, lucky for him the criminal was as stupid as he was powerful, the man looked at raven and smiled.

"You heard the man now if you would be so kind"

Raven made a move and the man was on the ground before he knew what had hit him, but before she could do any thing, else Matthias was already being pushed towards her and Richard held two jewels on his hand, he smiled and pushed the two jewels on the back wall vanishing into the shadows. Matthias got off from raven and rushed towards the wall, he looked around and frowned, they had no jewels, and looking at raven, he saw the frown on her face.

She had no jewels and it was going to take some time to go into the room she had been observing and retrieve them from the unconscious guards, the moment she had entered the room to face Richard she had lost this confrontation, Matthias frowned when she saw that raven had just clenched her fist in anger.

"We lost him didn't we?"

"He couldn't have gone far"

"I will go into the room and"

BBBBOOOOMMMMM

Before he could finished a claw hand smashed the wall behind him and raven walked slowly towards the gaping whole on it, Matthias looked at her and frowned, she was angry and that was not a good sing.

"Stall the gathering, I will meet you there"

"But what"

"Do it!"

Matthias nodded and she vanished, leaving behind a very troubled Matthias, as for raven she re-appeared high on top of the prison compound and frowned, scanning the area was not going to work, the whole place was surrounded by cloaked figures, the same kind of cloaks that Richard had taken when he had vanished. Closing her eyes she tried to sense there link and frowned, the bond was not there, it couldn't possibly be gone.

Then she felt it but it was wrong, it was as if it was taunting her, slowly she appeared on her mindscape and frowned when she saw a huge wall appeared out of thin air invading her mind, the other ravens gathered around her and she frowned at the figures standing guard in front of the huge wall. What was more surprising was the fact that the other ravens were present, she had dealt with them a long time ago.

"I trained with a Martian"

"Y-you can block me…but"

"It's a bond; a bond goes both ways raven"

She was about to answer him when he vanished and all the other ravens moved in front of the wall, she narrowed her eyes at them and at the realization that they were protecting him from her, that they were not in her mind. Knowledge stepped forwards and stared at her.

"Why are you doing this?"

"When you tried to destroyed us, we sought refuge"

Raven is eyes widen in realization, all those years she had believed to be free from them and yet all she had done was drive them away. She had believed that she had finally been able to overcome her instability but in reality, all she had done was pretend as if every thing was ok and then when she had come to azarath she had sought the elders is help. The had told her that with the proper mediation techniques and with them by her side the emotions would no longer be a problem, that she would function just like any normal being. However, they had lied, they wanted her in azarath they wanted to keep trigon sealed away and the only way to do that was to kill off her emotions, by turning her into a mindless and emotionless being.

"All this…it was because of him?"

"We don't know, but we were never the problem, you rejecting us, that was the problem"

"When I got pregnant…how…."

"We don't know, we have been refugees on his mind, he welcomed us because we were the closest thing he got to being near you"

"Trigon found a way trough him…that is why he was able to free himself…but then…"

She had arrived on azarath because she could no longer remain on earth, the dimension had been restored once trigon had been defeated, his destruction had also restored the dimension and turned back the hands of time. That is why her people were once again alive, that is why they had given her the throne, because she was the daughter of arela previous queen, she had first rejected that position because of the fact that she had been with robin, but when she had been pregnant, she had worried. She was the daughter of trigon and as such, her children would be cursed with the same life she had lead, which is why she had to do this, for them.

"They used me"

They had known that she was bonded, they had figured it out because it was the only way for an azarath being to conceive was to be bonded, she frowned and shock her head, this whole mess was not something new, it was not something that had just happened, it had been planed. The elders had planed all of this that is why they had taken the children away from her, which is why they were seeking the right of manhood.

"From the very beginning I was nothing but a means for them to get rid of trigon"

The demon had outsmarted them, he had not escaped trough her children, it had escaped trough her bond, had used robin as a conduit and had found a released and once it was out it needed time to regenerate, to grown back into power. For that to happened, he needed to be in azarath, that is why he had reformed the dimension, why he had turned back the hands of time.

"He was in spirit form, but now he found a body…Richard was wrong…it's just like the last time"

Last time trigon had emerged, he had used an avatar, a conduit to deliver the message, he had used slade and in doing so, he had been able to mark her and turned her into the portal. However, he had discovered something else, he had seen the bond and had linked itself to it, so when he was destroyed he had escaped trough it and had hidden himself in robin.

"Until the vessel was ready"

That is why slade was able to return back to life, because he was no longer slade, he was just a puppet, he had been given his life back so that trigon had a body to escape too once his hibernation was complete. Now it seem trigon was really free, he was running around on both earth and azarath wrecking havoc as he saw fit, distracting them playing with them. The power play on azarath how ever was serious; she needed to end this quickly.

Vanishing from her mindscape, she appeared once again high on top of the prison complex and frowned, the whole damn thing had given her a headache, rushing away from the complex she looked around with a newfound sense of desperation. She had just figured out what had happened, what had been going on this whole time, now she needed to find Richard confront the council and get back her position, but for that to happened Richard needed to pass the challenges.

He needed to prove that he was a man worthy of her, he needed to prove that he was worthy of being the mate of the queen of azarath.

On the streets Richard looked around the place and frowned, there was no direction he could take, this was an unfamiliar terrain to him and there was no way he could go back to that prison, not with out some kind of plan and weapons. This was raven is playing field and while she held all the card he had none, there was no way he could play this game.

As much as he hated to admit it raven had the upper hand, every thing had been a set up, ever since she had arrived in Gotham she had been playing him, and he had fallen for it. His emotions had played a big factor in not reading her, add the fact that he was angry because his titan friends had betrayed him and his judgment had been severely impaired, there was no way he was thinking clearly.

Walking down the busy streets of azarath a plan began to form in his mind, he couldn't be the hero here, he needed to work the underworld, those would know things that no normal citizen of azarath knew. Slowly he walked towards a dark alley and smiled, he needed to become a criminal and fight the system he had been put on, and it was the only way to find the others.

CONTINUED…


	10. Chapter 10

THE CHOSEN

Chapter: 10

"SCOURGE"

Two attacks in less than 4 days raven looked at the reports on her desk and frowned, the council was causing one hell of a field day with how things had turned out, and Richard was becoming a problem. She knew that all those attacks at the detention centers were because of his need to find his friends, she frowned and closed her eyes, despite the efforts of the high guard and Matthias they had not been able to find any sing of him. If Richard wanted to remain hidden then he would remain hidden, if he didn't want to be captured he wouldn't be captured, and if this dragged on any longer she would lose her position and the council would destroy her.

"My lady we have reports of another attack"

She glanced at the security currier and frowned, another set of files were dropped on her desk while the man simply smiled sadly at her, even he was sorry that she had to go trough all of this.

"Which center?"

"No center, they broke in on the security office"

"WHAT?!"

"T-they stole the security files…for this place"

Her eyes widen and she quickly looked at the files on her desk, it was all there, the report stating that this new guy scourge had stole the information for her home. The next target was her own compound.

"Have the proper measures been taken to secure my home?"

"Yes my lady, but I suggest we move our guest"

She nodded and dismissed the guard with a wave of her hand, she needed to see what the council was planning and in order to do that she needed to attend one of the schedule meeting they held every night, gathering herself she closes her eyes and begins a long cycle of meditation. If she is to face the council then she needs to calm her emotions and play the part of the well kept queen, of the diplomat and she needed to appear that she had not a care in the world.

In another part of the compound jinx looked at her friend and smiled, despite the situation she couldn't help but find it amusing how Logan kept trying to morph into an animal only to shocked and returned to his human self, the seals on his body prevented the transformation but that didn't kept him from trying.

"Why do you keep doing that?"

"Because despite what you think I will eventually be able to maintain an animal form"

"How is that?"

"I am getting use to the pain of shocks, once that happens I will be able to maintain my animal form despite being shocked"

"Is that even possible?"

Jinx turned towards the other side of the cell and watched an angry light speed looking at the far off wall, out of all of them he had it the worst of all, the meager portions of food they feed him only served to keep him alive, but didn't give him enough strength to do any thing else. Raven could not afford to feed him too much, if she did then there was a chance that his metabolism would speed up and he would be able to break free. The girl is eyes harden and she promised that once this was over she and raven were going to have a little score to settle, no one treated her husband like that, no one hurt him and got away with it, not while she was around.

"Don't know but its better than doing nothing"

"Oh and I am also helping him out"

Light speed turned towards changeling and smiled, he knew that despite being feed a healthy size portion of food Logan only ate the minimum amount and gave him the rest. Jinx was not happy but she had was doing the same so she couldn't very well protest on what her friend was doing, what worried her was the fact that despite not eating well he continued to punish his body.

"Which I really appreciate, what worries me is the condition batman was in"

Both Logan and Jinx nodded, while they had been able to at least put up a fight, raven had taken no chance with him and had immediately knocked him out, from that moment on they knew that her target had been him all along, this whole thing had been a set up. If her children were in danger or not was no longer an issue, they had been betrayed and as such they needed to find the reason, and stop whatever raven had planed before some one got hurt. Hell raven was always a mystery but to go this far.

"Do you think he is okay? I mean what if…what if he is some sort of sacrifice or something?"

"Shut up Wally!"

"Look Logan we don't want to offend or any thing but, well actions speak louder than words"

Logan glared at her and shakes his head, despite being in the position they were in he couldn't help but felt hat something was wrong here, he knew raven, he could read her like a book and every thing had told him that she was worried, that she was upset and that something had happened to her kids. She could lie that well, she was not lying she was just covering something, not telling them the full story and was doing this because she had no other option, that had to be it, she couldn't betray them because she had been hurt by betrayal once. She knew what it felt like and he knew that she would never do this to him to them.

"I know her; she would never do this unless she had a reason to do it"

"Then why not tell us? We were on earth, we were safe"

Jinx was pissed, Logan might know raven for a lot longer than she did but she couldn't denied what had happened, raven had taken batman and she had locked them up with so much as an explanation, all she had done was spare there lives and that was not good enough for her. Beside Logan is friendship with the ex-titan could cloud his judgment, after all, they had been teammates for a long time, it was natural for changeling to deny what was before his eyes, to not accept raven is betrayal.

"Jinx"

"I'm sorry Wally, but how can he sit there and defend her when were in here and she has taken batman"

"She won't hurt him!"

"NO? How can you be so sure?"

"I…I can't but I know that she wont harm him in any way"

Wally looked at him and raised an eye brown, Logan seem so sure of himself, as if he had a valid reason for saying what he was saying.

"Why are you so sure Logan?"

"Because she loves him"

Jinx snorted and Wally shakes his head, good reason but not a very convincing one, it had been a couple of years since Richard and raven is relationship had ended, what ever emotions they shared for one another were lone gone. Logan on the other hand just snorted and continued to try to remain on animal form trough the pain of the shock waves, if they didn't want to believe him that was fine, but he knew what he was talking about, he knew both raven and Richard all to well. Despite the years that had gone by and the distance between them, there was always something about those two.

Raven had been so much like robin way back in the day, she was dark and mysterious just like robin had been when they had first meet him, she was distant and like to kept to herself and while robin used to open up more to them than she did, he was exactly like her in many aspects. Both were somewhat enigmas and despite robin is brief relationship with star fire he had chosen raven in the end. Hell he had gone and defied a demon lord to save her, gone to hell in back and had made her believe in her self, after that every thing had changed between the two.

(((OUTSIDE THE COMPOUD)))

Cold white eyes looked at the structure before him, it was filled with traps and guards and what ever this world had to offer in security detail, the most secure structure in the land of azarath and he was going to break into it. A small smile played on the figure is lips, his friends were in there, he was sure that raven had placed them there and that she was inside as well. One more hours and he was going to make his move, the council should be preparing the meeting and she would be attending it. After the attacks on the different detention centers he had figured out quite a lot about there security methods, of how they operated and what there tech was.

This compound was no different, it was going to take a bit more of an effort to get in with all those security guards but he was sure that he could sneak in, what bother him was that he had not seen the man that seem to be raven is personal body guard. Matthias, the man seem to be quite the skilled guard and he could prove quite dangerous, still he this would be his only chance to both rescue his friends and find out exactly what was going on here.

"Are you sure you're up to it?"

The woman is voice beside him serves as a distraction, but her question unnerves him to no end, is he ready. No he is not he had been trying to avoid this whole conflict ever since it was first brought up to him, but he couldn't. He had chosen to aid his old friend and now he was paying the price of trusting her again, once she had broken his heart now she had betrayed him, and capture people he considered family. Bottom line she had crossed the line, and in order to face her he had to bury his heart. Any emotions he might have had for her needed to be forgotten, he had a mission to do.

"Shade I warned you about this mission didn't I?"

"That she was and old friend, yes I know the details"

"Then why come?"

"Because you saved me"

He shakes his head and glances at the teenager, she is no older than 13 years old and yet she has been trough enough hardship and pain to understand what life really is, she is no longer a child with high expectations of what she can do. Instead, she is a bitter old soul that has seen and been trough enough to know that life is nothing but a hard road that will eventually culminate in death, in the nothingness.

"I told you that you owed me nothing"

"I told you I didn't care"

The only answer to that is a mall smirk from the man beside her, closing her eyes she activates her power and smiles, he was right she could sense three foreign signatures inside of the complex, she turns towards him and smiles with a small nod.

"There in there?"

"They are"

Raven already knew that he was here, he was sure of it, but she was also going to reinforce the other detaining center is security, and when that happened then his forces were going to strike, setting every thing up for him to make his move.

"Then get ready to strike when she moves onto the conference room"

Inside the complex raven looked at the screen before her and frowned, the elders were already moving in the chambers waiting for her, and for an explanation as to why she had not brought her mate as she had agreed to do so. Clenching her fists in anger she wonders if this whole thing would have been easier if she had only asked Richard for help, things had been easy when she was younger, every thing seem to be so perfect for her and robin, there was no lies every thing was out in the open and then she had get cold feet. She had to run away to protect them, at least that is what she had told herself, that by running away she would be avoiding a whole mess of trouble, now she had was learning the hard way that lying lead to no were.

Closing her eyes, she takes the files on and head to the conference room, she know what is awaiting her in that room, she knows that once she in there they will begin to question her and tell her that she was not fit to rule. The perfect little set up had been orchestrated and she had been to blind to see behind the deceptions, now the elders had her right were they wanted her, they held all the cards, and if she were to oppose them now they were going to play there ace card, her kids.

They had given her a choice, a way to some how make this better, the question was why, why did they want him here, so far she had figured out part of the mystery but she knew there was more to it, there just had to be, unfortunately she had run out of time. She was meting with them in a couple of minutes and they held all the card. Taking a deep breath she takes her files and starts her walk towards the conference room, once inside she faces the elders, immediately she can sense the confidence and the arrogance of all that are present.

"So you come to us empty handed"

One of the more rude elders spoke with a smile spread all over his wrinkly face, his eyes were even daring her to respond, as if challenging her to say provoke him, but she knew better she knew that she could not play there games, she needed to figure out a way to fix this and fast.

"So you have failed"

Another of the elders smirked at her and shakes his head from side to side, as if disappointed in her, slowly her angers begins to build up, they know that all they need to have her were they want her is to provoke her, shaking her head she smiles and glanced at them with a frown.

"No, he is here"

"I do not see him"

Another one speaks and she wants to growl in anger, but she cant, she has to keep control, to maintain her peace and to let her anger subside, she knows that this is there plan and that she cannot give up so easily. But all she wants is to rip them apart, to tear at them from limb to limb, but she can't, so she takes a deep breath and closes her eyes. One of the other elders smiles at the sight and stands up, gathering the attention of all the others she points an accusing finger at raven.

"She has fail, as such I move for the immediate"

Before he can continue the sky light from above them breaks and the figure of a giant bat descends upon them, the figure lands before raven and cold dead eyes stare back at the elders, the figure rises from the ground in an upright position and looks at each of them with pure disgust.

"WHAT IS THIS!?"

Raven looks at the figure with surprise, he should be at the other side of the complex saving his friend and yet, here he is standing besides her defying the council members, giving her support. What is more surprising is that he is wearing his costume.

"I am the batman and I believe that you were looking for me"

"H-how…"

She whispers but the council members all look at the intruder as nothing more than a nuisance, one of the elders' orders for the guards to come in, as they rush in raven hears the sound of the footsteps and immediately steps beside the man before her.

"What is the meaning of this?!"

"He is Richard Grayson, the dark knight of gotham and he is my chosen"

Two be continued….


	11. Chapter 11

THE CHOSEN

Chapter: 11

"LAWS"

355 Rules and regulations, not to mention a bout a hundred more of traditions and additions that one had to follow, yet after all the scheming and all the manipulation the council had done to get to this point they had failed. The father was here, claiming his rights and despite not knowing what that meant, he was here facing them, by his side was raven the now true ruler of azarath, now there was nothing they could do. She had kept her world; she had brought back the father of her children. The man was a warrior that was clear by the way he was dressed and how he faced them with out fear or apprehension, he stood his ground and despite not bothering to look towards raven he was here to support her.

Raven for the most part just smiled at the look on the council is face, they had all set this up so that she would failed, but in the end there plans had been all but ruined, now all that was needed was to test Richard is DNA and matched it to her kids, after that the challenges would start. Glancing at the man beside her she could see the serious look on his face and the meaning behind that posture, he was pissed.

"Richard…I"

Before he could answer her a massive explosion shakes the building they were in while bright light illuminated the sky, Richard turned to face her. Then out of no were a figure materialized to his right, it was a woman half his size wearing a full leather outfit along with a purple cloaked that covered her of her body.

"It is done"

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS!"

The council was beginning to get scare, the whole place was in motion as guards rushed into the room and pointed there weapons at the intruder, yet that was not what was worrying the men gathered in this room, what was worrying them was the noises they were hearing outside the room. What ever had happened, what ever it was that had been set free was getting closer to them.

"My friends are coming"

"FRIENDS?!"

The door leading to the inside of the chambers was burst open and in came a blur of a figure that proceeded to knock the guards out. The figure that was soon followed by a purple wave of energy as a pink hair girl walked into the room with a frown on her face, beside her a massive green animal growled in anger.

"Sorry we are late, but they had double the guards"

Shade dropped her illusion and turned to the others with a smile, she had been under that damn illusion for half the mission here, it was not that she liked to appear older it was just that others tended to fear her more when she was in older self. Raven did a double take and frowned, the woman was no more than a 13 year old girl, one she knew all to well.

"Azan"

The yellow eyed girl smirked and took a smug stands beside batman, she knew that the others would recognized her once she dropped her little illusion, but she didn't care, now that Richard is friend were out she didn't need to fear what the council of raven would do to her. Richard had promised to keep her safe and after what he had done for her she believed him.

"That criminal…he has brought her here?!"

One of the elders spoke with disgust in his voice, raven looked at him and frowned, she had seen the girl is case, she had been one of the best criminals azarath had, what was more surprising about her was the fact that she had been born a methahuman.

"It seems that they do not like your new friend there bats"

Light speed smiled at the dark knight who simply smirked at his friend, to his right jinx smiled at him with a raised eye brow.

"Care to explain who she is?"

"Oh don't tell me you're like your father?"

Logan smile and poked him in the arm, shade looked at them confused and then turn to look at batman who was shaking his head in annoyance, this was getting out of hand and if the look raven was giving him was any indication she was beginning to lose her patience.

"I came because I heard a rumor"

Raven froze at the tone of his voice, and at what he had said, but batman took no care in what he was saying he simply looked all around the council chambers with a glare on his face.

"You have my children; I came to get them back"

The council recoiled in shock and raven closed her eyes, she was afraid that this would happened, he had figured out what was going on, but how he had done it was something she needed to find out, how much did he knew about the situation? Was he even aware of what was at stake here? Before he could continue to talk she steps right before him places her hand on his chest. She needed to silence him before he said something out of place, there were rules and regulations that needed to be followed, the council was not to be dealt with lightly.

Beside batman the titans looked at the girl with frowns on there faces, her actions had not won her any friends, but by not explaining the situation she was only digging herself further into trouble. They had been set up and imprisoned because of her, to say that there patience had ran out would be an understatement. For her part raven knew that she was in the wrong, but for now they had to deal with the situation and she had to make herself focus on what was at stake.

"Stop this let me speak"

She couldn't deal with both the elders and the titans all at once, she was being attacked from both sides and she didn't know what to do, right now how ever she knew that the titans took priority over the elders, if she didn't do something about them, thing could get out of hand.

"Why should he!?"

Light speed looked at her with anger burning in his eyes, he was pissed, no he was more than that and by the looks she was getting from jinx she was in the same boat. The only one who seems to want to listen to her was beast boy, but he was keeping his mouth shut, he knew that the situation was already becoming too much for both sides.

"Because you insolent old fool we are the ones who make the rules here"

One of the elders spoke up and glared at the group, jinx is eyes flashed bright pink as she turned to face the elder; she had had enough of this whole situation.

"Be silent fool"

Jinx is hand glowed a bright purple and the man is mouth was glued shut, the others began to cream in outrage when then building began to shake and tremble, jinx had enough of this situation and of the deceit. Raven frowned and activated her bird form, she had had enough of this as well, but she needed to proceed according to the rules and stipulation, she had made a deal after all, besides that the council still had her kids, if they so wished they could kill them and be done with it. They were only tolerating this because it was the only way they could acquire azarath is power legitimately, if they would do something to betray there world the azarath people would never trust them.

The others frowned at raven is action and were ready for an attack, she however had another thing in mind, in a second all of the titans along side azan were completely engulfed by raven is black wings, then as soon before the council could object or say any thing they were out and away from the room. Two second later they were on azarath is memorial chambers, were the first queen of azarath resided and were all those who had given there lives to fight trigon rested, as the massive soul self bird banished and resided back into raven all the titans looked on with anger, all but one. Batman simply stood there, facing her as if daring her to say something, to even speak a word, he knew that she had no words to say, that no explanation would be enough.

"There are guards outside Richard"

Batman nodded to azan and signaled jinx to sealed the doors with one of her spells, nodding she immediately does as she is told and the doors are sealed, light speed and beast boy seeing her actions immediately jump into high gear and begin to search the area just in case. In minutes light speed has the whole area scanned, knows the best ways to escape and has even counted how many guards are all over the place, beast boy how ever has taken a more active role. Turning himself into a fly he set out to take out the guards and secure there location, they didn't need more surprises.

Azan stands beside batman, with a look of surprised on her face, never before had she seen such beings with those kinds of skills, only those of the high guard and azarath nobility could do the things they were doing, she had been born a misfit, an oddity a dangerous one that was a threat to the purity of the noble clan, that is why she had been an out cast, but now she was seeing that she was no freak, she was normal.

"Azan go with jinx, I need a moment with raven"

"Ah, sure thing"

Jinx signals her to follow her and together they leave the room, there is no point in staying here any more, the guards outside had been taken care of and light speed had already map out the entire structure, all they needed to do was wait and see what batman would decide.

"Richard I…"

Holding out hand he silences her with out a world, he can't deal with any thing she has to say right now, from the beginning it has been nothing but lies upon lies, he can't allow himself to trust her any more. He needed to focus on the mission, his kids, he had kids and they were in danger, nothing else mattered right now, he would deal with her when the time was right.

"I gathered some information, but I need to know what exactly is going on here"

"Richard I…"

"No, raven I don't need to listen to what you have to say, all I know is that your elders have you-our kids now tell me what happened?"

She turned away from him and took a deep breath, she knew that he was right but she wanted to explain to him, she wanted him to understand, to know why she had done what she did, but she knew that this was not the right time, perhaps it would never be the right time. She had lied and used him since the beginning, but before that she had abandoned him, left him broken hearted and alone, how could she expect him to act towards her if she had been nothing but pain to him.

"The council wants power; I believe that…they want to take over"

Richard nodded and frowned, if that was true then why bring in trigon into this? Was he just a ploy or was that threat serious? Aside from that he had the feeling that raven knew something he didn't.

"How exactly did they get them, or for that matter how on earth is trigon involved in this?"

"I don't have all the specifics but…wait, our bond did you"

"I don't care about our bond! What interest me is the welfare of my kids, our kids, we will deal with us until we finish dealing with this situation and they are safe is that clear?"

"It's all intertwined! They use me damn it, they knew how to turn me into a mindless puppet and for a while they did…until my children were born"

"Explain yourself"

"When I realized I was pregnant I came here and accepted what ever help they would offer me, I was afraid that as trigon is portal my children would be tainted and be susceptible to his influence"

"They promised to help you, what did they gain in return?"

"They held an upper hand on trigon, by keeping me close they…could figure out a way to stop him, maybe seal him for ever in his plane of existence"

"There is something else isn't there"

"Trigon escape, slade is not slade he is trigon is little incubation pod"

It couldn't be that easy, slade had cheated death of course there were going to be consequences to that, beside he had gotten his life back way to easy, that demon wouldn't of given him his life back if he didn't have any thing planed for him. A small frown formed on his mask and raven knew that something was wrong.

"Slade is not a problem"

"You dealt with him?"

If he had been dealt with then why were the elders doing all of this? Trigon had been dealt with his new body was taken care of and yet things kept happening, shaking her head she turned away from him and takes a deep breath.

"Doesn't make any sense does it?"

"No, but we have to go trough the right of manhood, in order for us to get the kids back we have to prove to the council that you are the father, after that they will denied any involvement with the kidnapping and we will have to pursue there trail on our own"

"Fine by me, lets get it over with and get the kids back"

"You don't understand these trials…"

"Will be met"

He was confident, but he would need more than confidence to win these trials, Richard not waiting for a reply simply walked out of the small room, outside he meet his friends and told them of the situation, jinx nodded and clenched her fist in anger, when all this was settled she was going to have a long conversation with raven.

"We got your back!"

Beast boy exclaimed and the rest nodded, Richard smiled and nodded.

"Yeah man no problem"

Light speed smirked and gave him the classic thumps up.

"I will only help you Richard, me and her will settle up afterwards"

Jinx glared at raven and placed ah and on batman is shoulder, azan smiled and jumped up from the sitting position she was on the ground.

"So boss what is the move?"

Batman smiled and turned towards raven.

"You heard the girl"

Raven frowned but nodded, she had no idea with the council is plan was now that slade was gone, she had began to understand what they were planning but now every thing was right were it had began, she had no idea what to do next, but she had to act. The only things left to do was play there game and hope that they were strong enough to deal whit the consequences.

"Very well"

Continued……

Hey guys sorry for the wait, but had some problems, any ways here is the next chapter and if you are wondering what azan looks like you can check out her picture on my site. It will be up by saturday night so your welcomed to see it.

If your wondering were is my site, check out my profile :D

ARCHANGEMON OUT.


	12. Chapter 12

THE CHOSEN

Chapter: 12

"TRUTH"

Raven walked out of the council chambers and shook her head, the stubborn old fools still denied the fact that they had kidnapped her children, they had opted to shift tactics and instead blame a group of elders whom had always believed in the purity of there blood. She had been left with no other choice but to accept there excuse, seeing as how those elders had mysteriously vanished from the council room when she had been force to leave earlier, now it seem that she had the full support of the remaining elders and they were even eager to test her mate as soon as possible.

The sooner the better they had stated; she how ever knew better. If Richard were to take the trials or test with out any kind of preparation, he would die, postponing the trials for another day she told them that her main concern was the missing elders and what could happen to her children.

The had immediately reassure her that they would do every thing in there powers to aid her in her search, yet at soon as she had left the room she felt that there has a hidden meaning behind there willingness to help, teleporting away to her home she couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding looming over the horizon. Something was going to happened, something that worried her to no end. Inside the council chambers the figures simply looked at one another, they needed to accelerate there plans, with Raven is mate here they had little to no time to act.

"Warn the others that the trials will be held tomorrow, we should be ready by then"

"A little to soon don't you think?"

"With him here we need to expedite our plans, there is not telling how much he knows"

"**He still knows nothing, nor does she"**

A disembodied voice filled the room and the elders shivered in fear, he was here observing them.

"My lord we must do something"

"**Agreed, that is why you will call forth the physical portion of the trial first, weaken the body then attack the mind"**

"What will that accomplish my lord?"

"**The vessels are nearly ready, now all we have to do is break my daughters once that is done I will be able to assert my presence in your world more freely, once this is done I can return"**

"Very well my lord we will do as you command"

The elders left and a figure materialized in the council chambers, he smiled and closed his eyes, soon every thing would be in position for his return, it was only a matter of time before he was free once more.

Back at her house raven looked at Richard and shook her head confirming his suspicions, the council had indeed done what he said they would do, they had denied every thing and in turn had managed to save there asses, now they were only responsible for testing her leadership abilities according to azarathian law. In truth they had broken no rules, simply placed her in a position were she would show them that she was fit to lead azarath, in the public view that is what would be seeing, a massive cover up but one that would enable her to retake control of her world.

"You have proven yourself a capable leader; the other azarath faction no longer holds any rights to challenge you for leadership"

"That still leave us with the fact that the majority of them are potting behind my back"

"As of now we have two theories, either they serve trigon or they are trying to vanquish him"

Raven nodded, after discussing things with him and comparing notes they had come to a conclusion, raven couldn't trust any thing of her memories, or any thing any of the council has told her, she had allowed herself to believe in them once before and had managed to manipulated her to some degree, so her information couldn't be reliable. Richard however had spent his nights digging into every and all relevant information regarding the council, the defecting council and the new sect that had formed in azarath.

"There is so much going on, how do we know what is there true plan?"

Richard shook his head, they didn't know, the only thing they could do right now was focus on the trials and try to find her kids before they started.

"Some one is pulling the strings, manipulating us"

Raven is eyes harden and Richard looked away.

"You can't deny it any more, this is too much of a coincidence, this stinks of him and you know it"

He hated to admit it but she was right, he could no longer hide behind the fact that he had killed the man so long ago; he knew that he was dealing with things that were not ordinary, closing his eyes he nodded.

"Slade"

"If he is the new vessel…."

"No if he was then trigon would have attacked or be more assertive In his actions, my guess is that he is manipulating slade, using him as he did before"

"You said something about your kids being the new portals back at the titans tower, could they be used for any thing else?"

Jinx walked into the room and Raven glared at her hard, Richard looked at jinx and smiled, she was right, with all the knowledge azarath had who knows what Raven….his kids could be used for.

"They have my blood; they could be used in any number of rituals"

Jinx nodded, glanced at Richard and frowned when she saw the far away look on his face, she knew that this situation was hurting him, in truth she knew that despite how focused he seem he was miles away from the predicament at hand.

"So either some lunatic wants them to serve trigon and become his new vessels or the new portals or they are going to used them to seal him away for good? I am guessing both or any kind of ritual involving you father would kill the children?"

Raven nodded and Jinx walked out of the room, soon all that was left inside the room was Richard and Raven, Raven looked towards Richard and saw nothing but the visage of the Batman staring back at her, he was not Richard right now. He had closed himself off ever since he found out about there kids, perhaps it was away for him to focus on the situation with out letting his emotions get the better of him.

"I managed to convince them to postpone the trials for a day, but I think they will summon us tomorrow…"

"Agreed, they won't give me any time to prepare; these trials are physical, mental and spiritual right?"

She nodded and he closed his eyes, three trials and if he failed one of them he would forfeit any right he had to the kids, to raven to azarath itself, dwelling on the situation made him wonder just were his life had become so complicated. Yet before he could walk away from the room, from raven he felt a hand on his arm.

"Richard…I need to tell you…"

"No you don't you lost the right to tell me any thing the moment you lie to me"

Shaking her head, she pulls her and away from his arm and frowns, why couldn't he understand the position she had been in?

"What would you have had me do Richard?"

"I would have supported you every step of the way Raven"

With those words, he left her and she wondered if she had done the right thing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~THE NEXT DAY~~~~~~~

As predicted the council had summoned them to the battle arena and the first trial was to take place, a physical challenge between the dark night and azarath is best warrior, Raven looked at the council members and noticed that some of the members were still missing, it seem that they had went into hiding.

"You are going to fight a one on one battle with an azarath mage?"

Jinx looked at Batman who nodded; physical portion would be the easiest one of that he was sure, the others he had no idea how he was going to deal with those.

"A warrior mage, they are the elite of azarath actually"

Azan looked at Batman with a worried look on her face; having been hunted down by those so call keepers of order was something that still sent shivers down her spine.

"Either way Batman is going to kick there assess"

Kid flash smirked and Changeling frowned, he knew batman was tough hell there was little chance he was going to lose, but then again the council had proven to be masters at deception and entrapment, which meant that the situation was stacked against them. Raven was sharing Changeling is same thoughts, there was no way this was going to be that easy, hell she wasn't even sure it was going to be a one on one battle.

"If the Chosen would step into the arena we can get this started"

One of the elders is voices boomed trough out the small stadium, batman jumped into the middle of the arena and looked at the surrounding gates, any thing could come out of there.

"The physical portion will demonstrate his worth as a warrior, you will show us your worth mortal and if you are victorious we move on to the next challenge"

"Whom am I facing?"

One of the portals opened and a figure materialized before his eyes, he frowned when he noticed who it was it would seem that Matthias had been chosen, Matthias looked at Batman and then at his gathered friends, he was not happy doing this but he had no other option the council had picked him and he had to serve.

"I apologize for this Batman but if I did not do this the challenge is void"

"Then let's begin"

Batman frowned at the man before him, his words sounded truthful but there was something there, he could read people better than any one and Matthias was in this because he wanted to fight him. Raven looked at Matthias and frowned, why was he doing this? SHe could sense the deception in his words, the eagerness he had, and he wanted this he wanted to fight Richard.

"Something is wrong…t-that guy…"

Azan shivered and closed her eyes, that person felt wrong, every thing about him was wrong.

"Azan?"

Jinx looked at the teen and frowned, she was spooked, no it was beyond that she was right down terrified of Matthias.

"Who is he raven?"

"He is one of my royal guards; my most trusted…no it"

She was about to rush towards the arena when a massive dome of energy sprung out of no were, her body slammed against the energy barrier, she frowned when she was pushed back by an energy coming from the dome landing near the other titans she glared at the elder who smiled at her.

"What is the meaning of this?"

"**You foolish little girl"**

They spoke in unison and the voice it came out sent chills down her spine, she knew that voice, but it was impossible he wasn't supposed to be able to interact with there world. The titans frowned when they heard the voice. That was no ordinary voice it was cold and evil, azan clenched her ears and shook her head she knew that voice.

"You are sealed you can interact with this world!"

"**I have a puppets"**

Raven is eyes widen and immediately her eyes turned back towards the arena floor, she could see Batman glaring at Matthias but Matthias was not Matthias not any more, he was just a corpse, his four eyes stared back at Batman.

"So you were alive"

Batman is voice made the others gasp in surprised, soon Matthias is clothes began to change into and all too familiar form.

"**When you killed this mortal you allowed me to take over his body and thus allowed me to interact with your world"**

Batman frowned, so it was not slade, it was trigon all along, he had manipulated every thing every one, even Raven, he had played them for fools and they all had fallen for it.

"So back on earth?"

"**I keep you so busy thinking of things that were not happening that you never noticed what was in front of you the entire time, oh I knew you well enough, I been inside your mind boy wonder"**

Richard is eyes narrowed in anger, the demon had taken advantage of his bond with raven to study him, to find out every thing he needed to know about him and knew exactly how to manipulate him.

"So what now?"

"**I need a body, I need your body!"**

The titans immediately rushed towards the dome of energy but before they could reach it, the dome began to glow before expanding forwards and exploding; Raven screamed and unleashed her soul self, rushing towards the others she managed to surround them with her energy before the explosion got to them. Unfortunately, she was unable to teleport them in time and they were caught in the massive explosion that decimated the entire area.

Continued…


	13. Chapter 13

THE CHOSEN

Chapter: 13

"THE GREAT MANIPULATOR"

It had been a long time, ever since his defeat at the hands of his beloved daughter ever since those days he had been planning scheming and attacking, he knew that the seal keeping him away had weaken, that she had weaken, and that gave him an opening, he sense he felt her emotions. She was in love, oh she was so in love with that boy, that leader of hers, the one that gave her the courage to fight, and he used that, after all her emotions or the lack of them was the thing that kept him suppressed. So he slowly oh so very slowly began to form a thread, one linking her to him, they were bonded it was easy enough to influence them both.

Looking at the down form of the batman he smirked and shakes his head, that little bond they shared, oh how he enjoyed whispering thing, sending surges of emotions of feeling, intensifying what they felt for one another making them expedite there relationship until it happened, until she broke and he gave in. The two finally surrendered to there emotions and allowed him to come trough.

Oh how he remembered the look on Slade is face when his voice first manifested itself, how he remembers the fear of the man when he took over his mind, how he hated being human, being weak. Yet he could not inhabit the madman is body for long periods of time, he was to weak, he could only do it for small periods of time but it was enough it served its purpose and he used his time well, preparing scheming and then it had all ended.

"IT WAS ALL YOUR FAULT! I had it all planed, Slade would break the world is barriers would free me and you had to stop him, but there is more you insolent brat!"

Raven had been pregnant, she had fled to azarath and had sealed him off, she had closed herself off from every thing once more those monks had gotten to her, had offered her council, and had pulled him away from his host body. Oh but he had preserved, had prevailed he had lived on, he had live deep within the mind of the boy, waiting and plotting. Matthias kicked Richard is body hard, he hated the boy he had taken every thing from him, his chance to escape was denied because of that boy, then when he tried it a second time he, the boy the man, the teenager called Night wing had killed Slade had stopped his resurrection.

"You killed me a second time boy, you defeated me and I could no longer reach my daughter, but I survived I always survived and when she tried to cut off your bond I made my move"

She had invaded her mind, like a criminal she hid and reached his mind tried to cut him off and he saw it, he felt it the reconnection to her, the way out and he latched on to her. He took over hate she never knew what had happened all she knew was she could not break the bond; he wouldn't let her.

"I needed to manipulate you and her you see, I needed you busy on earth as well so I made a little bridge so I could operate in both worlds it was so easy"

He had fooled her, had fool both of them over time he convince her that the bond they shared had been broken that it had been cut off when it really wasn't, he was manipulating them both just like he had manipulated Slade, this time he did it while they sleep.

"You fell a sleep and I took over your bodies, played you both like puppets, you know who took your children? It was raven! You know who set up all those crime on earth? It was YOU!"

Matthias laughed out loud and kicked the down Richard three more times, he wanted to kill him, but he wouldn't, Matthias was a weak boy and served as even weaker vessel, but Richard, Richard was special.

"Your body trained to its peek physical condition, your mind trained to be the most efficient, the most capable of all humans the perfect little host"

"GET AWAY FROM HIM!"

Matthias smiled at the sight before him, his daughter stood defiantly before him, her costume torn, her face bruised, she stood against him ordering to move from her beloved.

"You are too late, you could never stop me, you could never stop what you were born to do"

She glared at the man is face, at the man whom held her father, whom concealed the monster that had given life to her.

"I stopped you once I will do it again"

Matthias is hollow laughter sounded trough out the desolated area, sending shivers down her spine; there was no way she was going to let that happened.

"You don't have a choice, I have all the cards I hold all the keys you have nothing!"

Yet before he could make a move against her his body was slammed from behind sending him crashing away from Richard is body, slamming to the ground he staggered back to his feet and turned towards the one who attacked him.

"You forgot us buddy!"

Light speed looked at the down man and saw his eyes flashing red before a massive wall of fire rushed towards him, he was about to move but his body seem to be frozen.

"BURN INSECT!"

"I don't think so!"

A pink wall of energy sprung up engulfing both Light speed and Richard is body, Jinx meet Matthias is glare with one of her own, she was not taking any chances, no way was this nut case taking Richard is body.

"The witch how amusing, you think argh!"

A massive horn sprung from his chest, looking behind him he saw a massive green rhino piercing his back with his front horn.

"Not only her jerk, remember me?"

Matthias cursed, he had underestimated them, but how, that explosion should have knocked them out; hell it should have killed them so why had they survived. Focusing on he managed to surround his body with flames making changeling jump back and release him from being skewer, turning towards the assembling group he was about to retaliate when his powers faded out.

"H-HOW?"

"I n-negated…y-your p-powers"

His eyes widen and turned towards the source of the voice, it couldn't be that freak, that anomaly was rendering his powers useless.

"No…you are…your breaking my connection to this body…h-how?"

"Y-you a-are l-link to Richard…and R-raven keeping a third link is kind of hard"

Azan smiled, she knew she had him, for now at least, Trigon was spread to thin, he was trying to maintain three links at once, one with Raven one with Batman and the other with Matthias, that is why he was so weak, why she was able to fight him and she knew that if they acted quick they could take him.

Trigon narrowed his eyes and then found it, that girl was linked to both Richard and Raven, she was fighting him within there minds, expelling him, trying to purge him out, but he wouldn't allow it. Focusing every thing he had he managed to unleashed a wall of flames that surrounded the whole area, Raven covered herself with her soul self while Jinx did the same with her friend using her own energy to cover them from any harm.

"I will not be defeated and if I cant fight you out here"

Matthias is eyes suddenly rolled to the back of his head as he collapsed, Jinx frowned and turned towards the others, Raven was holding her head muttering something to herself while Azan was screaming on the ground while Changeling was holding her looking scared out of his mind.

"Jinx what the hell just happened?"

Light speed looked at her and Jinx closed his eyes, there was something wrong here, looking towards Richard is body she could see him grunting in pain, rushing towards his body she knelt beside it and opened is eyes with her fingers.

"He is in R.E.M sleep"

Light speed was beside her in a second.

"What is that?"

"I think they are inside there heads"

"**WRONG!"**

Richard is eyes shoot open and his hand reached towards Jinx is neck, Light speed moving faster than he Richard managed to pull jinx away from him and jump a couple of feet away from the now standing Richard.

"Ah Jinx, w-why does he have four eyes?"

Jinx glared at the figure in front of her and wondered what the hell had happened to them, they were only unconscious for a couple of minutes so how did Richard is mind get possessed all of a sudden? It did not make any sense.

"That thing, what ever it is, Trigon or Trigon is essence has just inhabited Batman is body, I don't know what happened to Raven and Azan but it doesn't look good"

Light speed looked to were Raven and Azan were and frowned when he saw both girl on the ground unconscious, Changeling was rushing towards them with a worried look on his face.

"Bad news guys, Trigon just took over Dick is mind"

Jinx nodded but kept her eyes focused on the now fully possessed Batman before her, she knew that if she let her guard down it would only take him a moment to render them helpless.

"Raven and Azan?"

Light speed looked at Changeling with a bit of concern on his eyes.

"Azan said something about an assault on both fronts"

Jinx nodded, that made sense weaken the body so they could weaken the mind, Light speed immediately felt something was up with his wife and turned towards her, while Changeling looked at the Batman is possessed form.

"He hasn't attack because he is busy inside his own head, attack him but don't kill him!"

MINDSCAPE~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

Raven looked at Azan and frowned, the girl was within Richard is mind and behind her was an unconscious Richard, being shielded by an energy shield coming from Azan is hands.

"W-what are you doing?"

"Shielding him, your on your own on this one I wish I could intervene but I cant and he well…look at him"

Raven is eyes landed on Richard and frowned, he was gasping for air, his whole body was covered in bruises and cuts, it was as if he had been trough hell and back and then it happened.

"It's my turn now…he fought for me once…"

"Then fight for him, fight for your family your kids need you he needs you"

Raven closed her eyes and looked at Azan, her eyes locked on to hers and she gasps and takes a step back from her.

"Y-you c-cant be…"

"Dad needs you; we don't have time for explanations"

"**I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN"**

Raven turned towards the sound of the voice and saw her father, in this mindscape he didn't need to wear Matthias is form, he could appeared to them as his true self and for a moment raven froze, she couldn't help but feel terrified of him. Azan looked at her and frowned, Raven is father still had a big hold on raven is emotions; he could still instill fear in her heart and doubt in her mind.

"Snap out of it mother, you have to fight him! If you don't we will lose"

Raven turned towards the young girl and frowned, this was her daughter, but she couldn't be, her daughter had been kidnapped she was just a little girls, this girl beside her was a teenager already, she couldn't be here unless.

"You are from the future, all this time….how is that possible?"

"I had to come back, he ruined our future…my brother Gray…he was used as the portal to revive him"

Azan glared towards the red-skinned demon that smirked and laughed aloud.

"**SO YOU CAME TO STOP ME BUT YOU DIDN'T KNOW WERE TO BEGING DID YOU? YOU HAD NO IDEA WHAT HAD HAPPENED SO HOW IS IT THAT YOU SURVIVED?"**

"I was taken to earth….my mother sacrificed herself to send me to my father"

Raven is eyes widen in surprised, she had died, she wasn't able to save her son and Azar had grown up with her father. It made sense now, when Azan had first been spotted no one knew who she was, no one had any clue were she had come from, all they knew was that she was of azarath origin and had supernatural powers. Even when apprehended and jailed in one of there detention centers they had found nothing of her origin.

"So you didn't know….all you knew….what happened to Richard how did you come back here?"

Trigon is eyes focused on Azan, he should be attacking right now but he needed to know how this girl had come back from the future, how she was able to be here.

"Trigon did not stop with Azarath, soon the whole universe was in danger, soon whole worlds began an offensive strike against him….they failed, trigon was no fool and had allied himself with others…so my father came up with a plan"

"He sent you…but why?"

"In my time line you didn't contact the titans…none of this ever happened"

Trigon is eyes widen, she was from an alternative time line, Raven closed her eyes and took a deep breath, if things changed, if this turned out differently. Azan looked at her mother and frowned, she knew what her mother was thinking and she didn't like it.

"My existence is not important! All that matters is that you stop him!"

Raven turned towards her father glaring at him, it was always him, he always managed to bring some form of pain to her life, he had taken her children, she wanted to take Richard away from him and now he was costing her a 13-year-old daughter that was sacrificing herself from the sake of an unknown future.

"**OOOHHH, YOU HAVE YOUR FIGHTING SPIRIT BACK I SEE"**

"Shut up…you have cost me every thing in my life"

Azan shivered at the sound of her mother is voice, she could see the energy flowing from her body, she could see the blank eyes staring at her demonic grandfather with nothing but hate and anger.

"**FOOLISH GIRL YOU CANT STOP ME YOU WILL NEVER STOP ME!"**

"I know…but I can trap you I can put you back were you belong and never let you out…this time you and I will end it"

Trigon is eyes widen, she couldn't possibly mean it.

"**YOU WOULDN'T! IF YOU DIE I GET SET FREE FOOL!"**

"Not this time"

Azan is eye widen when trigon feel to his knees, something was not right, what ever her mother was doing was working but then she saw it, in her mother is face and posture, what ever she was doing it was causing her pain.

"What are you!"

"I am going to seal him away…using myself as the sacrifice"

"**YOU FOOL….Y-YOU…C-CANT!"**

"She won't have to"

Richard is voice made them all gasp and turned towards the batman, he was on the ground sitting up while Azan was supporting his back; Raven looked at him in awed this was impossible.

"Your body has been destroyed by my friend…the only thing that remains if your psyche form and with me waking up…"

"**YOU WONT BE ABLE TO HOLD ME YOU ARE NOTHING BUT A WORTHLESS HUMAN!"**

"But you changed me, you meddled with my mind, my body my spirit your essence assured that I would be ready to contain you…one way or another"

Trigon is face went pale and grunted in pain, this couldn't be happening, Matthias was supposed to last long enough for him to completely transfer his mind on to Richard and yet here he was being vanished once more to the other realms of existence.

"Richard….you can't"

Raven knelt beside him and Richard shook his head.

"The dimensional walls have been weakened…sorry but you are no longer able to keep him at bay by yourself"

"If you do this….we will be"

Richard looked towards her and smiled, of course he knew what that would mean but he didn't care, he just wanted this to end, just wanted to forget about demons and battles, he was ready to finish and go back home. There eyes locked and while in this moment they failed to see the girl that stood beside them stand up and walk away from them, they failed to see her walk right up to trigon and reached out towards him.

"Mother….Father"

She whispered and raven tough they were quite the distance away her voice reached the two, both of them immediately turned towards her, Richard immediately stood up and tried to rush towards her only to fall on the ground. He was too weak. Raven looked at her daughter and frowned she could not use her powers, she could not even move.

"AZAN STOP IT!"

Richard is scream only made her smile, she had the chance to see her father once more time, to be with her mother what more could she ask for.

"Sorry dad…I cant…I….I love you guys!"

Trigon cursed and tried to push her away, tried to fight her off but he couldn't. he was too weak by the loss of his other body and by the continuing assault of both her daughter and that human is mental attacks, he could do nothing but stand still as the little brat is arms wrapped around his body and then turned to look at him with a smile.

"This ends here Grandfather"

"Curse you"

She smiled before a bright light engulfed them, Richard and Raven is scream made Azan smiled, this time it would be different for them both, the light increased and then a huge explosion blinded both Richard and Raven, when the light vanished they opened there eyes and found three very concern friends staring down at them.

"You okay?"

Richard looked at Jinx and bolted straight up sitting down on the rubble, looking beside him he saw Light speed and Changeling looking over raven, frowning he looked at Jinx and saw her tear filled eyes.

"Azan is gone….I felt her….she"

"She was our daughter….from a time that never was"

Raven stood up and walked away from them, she needed to clear her mind, focus on the here and now, Azan might be gone but her daughter Azar was still here, some were in azarath.

"We need to find raven is children, I think I have an idea were her kids might be"

Richard stood up and winced when his body protested the action; Light speed rushed towards his side and put his arm around his friend.

"Easy there, your body is been trough a lot…Logan"

Changeling walked towards him and together they managed to support Richard is weight, jinx walked over towards Raven and placed a hand on her shoulders pulling her out from her thoughts.

"So azan…is she really gone?"

Changeling looked at Richard and nodded.

"She told us you know, she said to destroy Matthias is body"

Richard closed his eyes and thought of the girl who had given every thing to save them, while his body had been posses his friends had attacked him and despite holding back his body felt like it had been crushed. Unfortunately Trigon knew that they wouldn't kill him, so he had used his body to attack his friends and distract them, keep them from focusing on the real source Matthias, he was the one linking him to this world.

"You have to snap out of it, Richard might know were your kids are"

They turned towards Jinx and Raven they saw the look on there faces and then took a look around the area.

"W-why is every thing…."

Jinx looked around and closed her eyes, every thing was turned to rubble, the building the people it was all gone, all that was left was the ruins and ghost from a past long gone.

"Every thing began to turn like this when you two woke up"

"Trigon re-set Azarath; he was sustaining the lie….now that he is gone"

Richard is voice made her close her eyes, every thing she knew was a lie, she had been living in a dead world, surrounded by haunting memories and ghost. Turning towards the others, she saw the concern in there eyes.

"Were are my kids"

"You can take us there…just look trough our bond"

She narrowed her eyes but then she felt it, it was back just like it was all those years ago, frowning she searched trough his mind and sees the place were her kids are. Summoning her powers, she engulfs them in her soul self and they teleport towards her children, and yet all she can think about is what Richard had said. He had called the children "HER" kids.

TO BE CONTINUED…..


	14. Chapter 14

THE CHOSEN

Chapter: 14

"THE BEGINNING OF THE END"

Once enveloped in raven is energy field they immediately teleported towards some old ruins, there they saw the massive abandoned temple resting in one of azarath is old high mountains, looking at the place the titans looked at one another and immediately thought the worst only raven was the one who vanished leaving them outside of the temple. Jinx turned towards Richard who sat down on a near by stone slab. Changeling and Light speed followed him example and sat on different places of the old ruins, not much they could do any way, something told them to wait it out.

"What the hell was that?"

Jinx walked right up to the dark knight and stood in front of him with a frown on her face.

"What was what?"

"You acting as if you don't care about those kids"

Changeling and Light speed looked at one another and then immediately turned towards there friend, Jinx was right but batman seem to be lost in his own little world.

"They don't know me…they have heard nothing of me so tell me jinx what should I do?"

Jinx opened her mouth and but quickly closed it off again and closed her eyes, what was she going to say to that? He was right those kid knew nothing of him.

"There still your kids bro…I mean shouldn't you…don't you want to?"

Light speed is words held some truth to them but despite that this was Richard is decision, he was the only one who could decide what do to.

"I do….I can't not when this happened, tell me if I should tell them now when all of this has happened?"

The others nodded in understanding, those kid has gone trough one hell of an ordeal and to throw this in amongst all of the things they been trough just didn't seem right. Not when they were kidnapped, held hostage and now there, whole world was decimated.

"Can you at least tell us what the hell happened? Why did every thing turned into this?"

Richard looked around and closed his eyes and entire world returned to ash once more, whole families, a whole world decimated because of one being is lust for power.

"Trigon isn't stupid, he knew that despite the hold he had on Raven, despite what the prophecies for told there was always the slight chance that Raven could turn on him and seal him away for ever, so he devised a plan, one that would help him return if he was ever defeated"

"Dude your not saying what I think you're saying….are you?"

Richard smiled and turned towards Changeling.

"Yes this plan was started the moment he was freed from Raven all those years ago, he only had to alter one thing, only had to bring one thing back to make sure that his return would be assured…he brought back Azarath"

"W-why would he do that? Why bring back the only people who knew how to stop him?"

Richard looked sadly at Jinx and took a deep breath.

"They also knew how to free him…the knowledge of how he was imprison also contained clues as to how to set him free, this would lead to some one trying to free him in order to gain power…unfortunately it didn't work out like he hoped"

"What do you mean? Work out fine didn't it?"

Light speed looked confused for a moment, then again so did the other.

"None tried to free him, they were far to scare to call upon his power, so he opted for option "B" He had after all returned Slade to life and given him power beyond human so it was easy to placed a tiny bit of himself inside that mad man"

"So Slade was….possessed by him?"

"Not quite Logan, trigon couldn't assert that kind of control over Slade, not for a while…h-he…he needed to get stronger first…the only to do that was to weaken Raven…."

"Trough her emotions…..trough her feelings for you?"

Jinx guessed and the Batman nodded, that bastard has used there love for one another to weakened Raven and increased his own strength.

"Once she was weak enough he managed to manipulated Slade for short periods of time, he was trying to create a vessel that would host his soul…unfortunately for him I…I killed Slade"

**FLASHBACK~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

Batman looked at the papers in his desk and frowned, he had been dealing with Slade Wilson for a long time now and despite every thing, he knew about the mad man he still found it odd that he had turned from a technology based lunatic to a dark arts fanatic. Glancing at the data on his the Bat-computer, he still found it hard to believe that that sect of lunatics was his doing, human sacrifices, ancient spells and all that mystical crap just wasn't Slade stile.

"Having trouble?"

He nodded and Zatana looked at the papers on his desk, she had tried to help him out as much as she could but what ever this Slade was planning it was far to out of her reach.

"This is not Slade, I can't help but think that I am dealing with a whole other person, this guy here he is all about the dark arts and ancient rituals the Slade I knew…"

"I know it's hard to understand Richard but some times there is no explanation for what happens, the dark arts are so alluring for a reason, they offer power and ask for nothing in return, they can give such…"

"You okay?"

Zatana nodded and closed her eyes, all mystics were tempted by those accursed powers, and all of them had to struggle deep within themselves to not get lost by the power, the seer attraction of the darker side of magic.

"Yeah…have you asked Jason Blood?"

"I have, he believes that Slade is trying to bind his soul to a demon much like he is bonded to Etrigan"

"That would be a great way to get power…and to destroy you"

Batman clenched his fist in anger, Slade hadn't been a match for him in ages, maybe that is what drove him to the edge, to know that the once boy wonder had surpassed him in skill and power.

"What ever the reason it ends tonight"

"You found him?"

He nodded and just as she was about to speak a fist lodge itself in her stomach knocking the wind out of her, her eyes widen and she looked at Richard with a questioning look.

"I need to do this alone…I am sorry"

2 Hours later the dark night smirked to himself as the horde of devotees rushed towards them with a craze expression on there faces, maybe having back up wouldn't have been such a bad thing. Clearing his thoughts he rushed at them and by one knew took them down, two of them rushed from behind with axes rushing towards his head, slowly he stepped back and released a back hammer blow to the would be decapitators.

Soon it was only down to him and Slade.

"You were foolish, to think that you could take on so many and then be a match for me? Come now Batman I dare say you are growing old"

The batman is eyes narrowed at the man, most didn't know about the switch between himself and Bruce, many believed that he was the same man and that after all these years they had finally figured out what his true methahuman power was. Long life.

"This ends tonight, no more sacrifices no more blood shed it ends here"

"Do you know why I chose this place? It is an old theater house one with lost of secret passage ways…one could always make a quick escape"

Slade smirked and walked slowly to one of the back walls of the old theater house, pushing gently on it the whole thing opened up and he immediately rushed trough it, Richard clenched his teeth in anger but just as he was about to rush in after him his cowl ear pieces picked up on a faint whimper.

"What in…."

A head of a blond woman stuck out of the darkness of the secret passage way, he eyes filled with tears while she whimpered and took deep breath trough he ball gag.

"This will end tonight"

Slade emerged from behind the girl his left hand holding one of her arms while a dagger was pointing at the woman is neck.

"You have really lost it haven't you'

"Oh? Why do you say that?"

"You are not the man I used to know, something twisted you into this"

Slade is eye narrowed, what was the dark knight talking about he had never crossed paths with him, not until he moved to gothaman to joint that cult, the one who would give him power beyond all reason so why was he talking with such familiarity towards him.

"Who are you?"

"It's between your life and her is it?"

"ANSWER ME!"

The distraction was enough, rushing with speed far grater than Slade is own the batman managed to grab the woman by the ropes bounding her body and pull her towards him just as he delivered a front kick to Slade, the man double over in pain before receiving a side punch to his head by the dark knight fist.

"You lose"

"I never lose"

The batman is eyes widen when he saw the small device in Slade is hand, turning towards the woman he saw the terror in her eyes when the ball gag in her mouth began to beep.

"NO!"

"TOO LATE!"

Batman turned back in time to see slade rushing at him with the dagger in hand, cursing himself for his stupidity at getting distracted he did the only thing that came to mind. When he had first started to work as the batman he figured out that the spikes in his globes could be used as more than just decorations, they could used to cling to a wall, to slice at an opponent or to block sword attacks. Raising his arms to block the blade he also saw the man is hand on the trigger that would decide the young woman is fate.

"No choice"

One arm deflected the blade the other slashed right trough Slade is throat.

Batman looked at the Slade as he fell on the ground gasping for air, he had severed his wind pipe along with his tracheal vein blood was gushing from his neck as he tried to gurgle make shift worlds, the dark knight is foot slammed down on the arm holding the remove before removing it from his hands.

"Not to bad for your old apprentice don't you think"

Slade is eyes widen and his gurgled worlds only made out one word.

"R-robin…"

**END FLASHBACK~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

"You never told any one?"

Light speed asked and Batman nods his head.

"Bruce always knew, but no one else…after that well Trigon had no way of coming back with his body destroy all he had was…well"

"You and Raven….he couldn't posses Raven since she was the portal to keeping him locked up…but you"

He smiled at Jinx and nodded.

"Yeah old deer head began the whole messing with us all over again until he had just like with slade sort periods of time to roam free in our bodies, that is why he was able to operate in both worlds, here as Raven on earth as Me"

"I can't believe that all this time…we were just being played"

Changeling clenched his fist and closed his eyes, that monster had used them, had been using them for years now.

"So all those times we helped out raven, all those times her people needed help?"

"They did…they were real Logan…Trigon just used them and when he was vanished back the spell he had cast to revive azarath was negated and….it turned back to this"

"We….."

Changeling is words died in his throat when raven is soul self emerged from the ground. The darkness dissipated and there they were, Jinx could not help but stare at the boy, a spitting image or Richard, hell even his hair was pitch black, Changeling just awed at the sight before him, those kids were like a chibi version of both Raven and Richard.

"W-what happened?"

The boy is voice snapped them out of there stupor and made them realize that he had noticed there ruined world of azarath.

"I will explain later, I would like you to meet…some friends"

The two kids looked at the assembled group of people in front of them; they were dressed in weird like clothing, clothing unlike any thing they had ever seen before.

"The pink haired witch is Jinx…the green skinned man you have meet before the one in the blue and yellow is Light speed….the one in dark is Batman he is"

"An old friend"

Richard is words made Raven flinch, why didn't he allow her to tell there kid? Looking at him she could feel that he was dead set on this, Azar looked at the man and in front of her and felt a sense of familiarity from him, like her senses were telling her something about him.

"You are dressed like a bat"

The little girl looked at the imposing figure of the bat pointing a little finger at him, the other smiled at the action and the batman knelt down in front of the girl.

"You a smart one"

The little girl smiled and nodded while Gray looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Why?"

The batman smiled and turned towards the young boy.

"To scare the criminals of my world"

The answer did not seem to satisfy the boy, but before he could say or ask any more questions Jinx stepped forwards and looked at raven with a questioning look. She knew that despite what they had been trough every single one of them needed to come to some kind of compromise; that would let them at least be civil towards one another.

"We should head back to earth"

Raven was glad that jinx was not bringing up any of the bad blood between them but before she could dwell to much on the subject her words caught up to her brain. She had no home now, most of her life she had spent in Azarath and now that it was gone, Richard looked at the worry on raven is face and frowned, before a wave of uncertainty hit him head on trough the bond they share. She was afraid she didn't know what to do.

"There is nothing for you here…for any of you here"

"I have no place to go Richard…."

"That is not true!"

Changeling is words made them all turned towards him, Jinx looked at him and closed her eyes, he was always sticking up for Raven, he and Cyborg, opening her eyes she glances at Light speed who shrugged his shoulder. He turned towards her and nodded confirming Changeling is words.

"Cyborg would kill us if we didn't bring you back, despite every thing that has happened he still sees you as a little sister"

"Besides that your kids need a new home"

Both children clung to there mother and raven took a deep breath, Jinx and Light speed were right, she had no were to go, she needed to think about her kids and what they would do now that azarath was gone.

"I can take care of all the other details…if you wish a normal life for them it can be done"

Raven looked at Richard and could swear that she had felt something from him, but as soon as it had appeared it was gone, he was keeping a tight hold on his feeling, she could understand that after all both her kids share her powers to some degree. Looking at her kids she closed her eyes and immediately knew what she needed to do, she had to think of what was best for them, right now they were both holding back there emotions just like they had been told but even so she could feel the fear the confusion and sadness emanating from them.

"Okay I will open the portal….let's go to earth"

**EARTH~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

Cyborg looked at the surrounding area that used to be titans tower and glared at the five figures in front of him, they four looked at with smirks adorning there faces, they had come out of no were and attacked the titans towers with out mercy.

"Been a while hasn't it CY"

The figure of Red X smirked at the half-human half man before him, they original plans was ruined but not for them not yet any ways.

"Yeah it has X, so why do this now?"

"For power after all you should know who I am by now"

Cyborg looked at X and frowned; Red X smirked under his mask and removed his helmet the face that greeted Cyborg made his eyes widen in surprised and confusion.

"Y-you can't….how is…."

"Trigon made duplicates didn't you wonder why a fifth never showed up?"

Cyborg glared at the figure in front of him, he might look like Richard but he sure as hell was not him.

"You can't be a trigon duplicate; Robin wasn't around when he created the rest"

The four other figures miles at him and a new figure stepped forwards, she smiled at cyborg and winked at him.

"Neither was I"

Cyborg clenches his fist in anger; this just deteriorated.

"Hey there Cyborg miss me"

A pale looking raven smirked at him, she was not around either and yet here she was a perfect duplicate of raven stood before him.

"So you finally got free….I guess you guys are the back up plan"

Before him the four replicated titans smiled at him.

TO BE CONTINUED….


	15. Chapter 15

THE CHOSEN

Chapter: 15

"LOVE"

Cyborg jumped away from the doubles and activated his sensors to there fullest, there other were still around, he smiled when he heard a loud boom behind him followed by debris blowing every were. Star fire looked at the figures assembled before her friend and glared at the one in the center; Red X simply smirked before placing his mask back on.

"Star fire?"

Cyborg asked and she nodded towards him.

"Every one is safe…"

The earth grumbled beneath them before a giant hole opened up and out came Terra her eyes glowing a deep shade of yellow; below her, a massive rock suspended her in mid air.

"They should be in Safe Haven by now"

Cyborg nodded at the blond girl, this was turning out to be not such a big loss, every one was safe and out of harms way, which meant that they could now counter attack instead of defend.

"Good, so who stayed with the kids?"

Terra raised two more boulders from within the hole and Cyborg smiled, maybe they did have a shoot at this, on top of the boulders stood Night wing and Kid wicked both of them looking at the assailants in front of them.

"Okay team pick a target and take them down hard!"

Night wing was about to rush towards Red-x when Star fire rushed passed him and slammed onto Red-x before flying up onto the sky, Cyborg grunted and rushed towards Beast boy, he had beaten him once and he could beat him again.

"Raven is mine!"

Terra and Raven immediately rushed upwards to the sky, while Kid wicked looked at the alien counter part of his friend, Night wing turned towards the pale imitation that was Cyborg and frowned, how the hell was he supposed to take on Cyborg he could barely keep up with him in the training simulations.

"Looks like I lucked out kid"

"Oh I don't know, I think I can take you"

Oh how terry wished he were as confident as he sounded, rushing towards Evil Cyborg he immediately leaped towards him with a flying kick Cyborg is counter part only smirked, and Night wing smiled, perfect. The kick connected and Evil Cyborg staggered backwards, the hit had been strong too strong for a simple mortal.

"H-how…."

Terry smirked and rushed towards his opponent unleashed a series of kick and punches combos, his muscles screamed at him and he wince but he needed to do this, he knew that setting his suit past the safety level was dangerous and stupid but there was no way he was going to win against Cyborg playing it safe. In Gotham, a light blink and Bruce cursed, stupid kid had better not die.

Star fire is hands wrapped around Red-x is neck, she wanted to squeeze, to simply take his life but for the life of her she couldn't, she knew that behind that mask that helmet of his he was smirking knowing that she wouldn't kill him.

"Come now Kor you know as well as I do that you won't hurt me"

"Why now…why after all these years"

Red-x flinched when he heard the pain behind the woman is voice, it was irrational to feel like he did but he couldn't quite help it, he never could, she was always in his mind always a presence reminding him of what he could never have.

"I needed to see….I am going to die soon"

Star fire is eyes opened wide and stared at his hollowed eyes, immediately her hands ripped his mask of and she could see the all too familiar face staring back at her, his eyes told her the truth, he was not lying.

"W-why?"

"I was created by Trigon…created to infiltrate and eliminate the titans from within….I was supposed to kill robin usurp his role and….conquer Raven is heart"

She narrowed her eyes and Red-X could feel Star fire is hand squeeze his neck just a bit harder.

"Liar, Trigon couldn't have created you"

"Trigon brought back Azarath from the ashes it once was to do that he had to go back in time….to fix certain things. To create me as a back up plan"

"All this time….you were playing with me?"

"NO!….I never expected….from the moment I saw you I….I felt his love for you…I felt his desire for you every thing he was I was…."

"Then Richard?….he loved me?"

"Once upon a time….he did….but while he moved on…I never stopped"

Star fire reeled back and closed her eyes, Richard loved her, he loved her so why had he chosen Raven? What had made him change? Opening her eyes, she saw the bright blue eyes of Richard…no not Richard the eyes of Red-x staring at her with anguish.

"Why didn't you follow trough on your plan?"

"I couldn't….I could never pretend to love some one else so I stayed away"

Stare fire shook her head, this couldn't be possible, how could she have been so stupid, it was so easy to believe that Red-x was Richard back then, it was so easy to accept that he was leading a double life, that he only took up the Red-x mantle to infiltrate the criminals and take them down from the inside. How foolish of her.

"You played me…you lie to me and….NOW YOU SAY YOU ARE DYING?"

"Trigon has been vanquished….he was the one keeping me alive with out him here"

"But why attack us….we could have helped!"

"You couldn't have….despite every thing I am still a part of Trigon…I still had to follow his orders…I just hope you and your friends are strong enough to win"

Star fire is eyes narrowed and a small glow began to emit from them, Red-X smiled and placed his mask back on.

"This will end here….will it not?"

"I hope so star…I really do"

She nodded and he vanished from her grasp, she cursed and rushed towards the ground there he was on top of what remain of the tower waiting for her. Screaming she lets out a series of star volts, Red-X immediately activates his suit is shifting mechanism avoiding all of the oncoming volts, jumping from one place to another he unleashes several small X-shape projectiles, Star fire is eyes glow and unleashed her eye beams. Red-X smiles and vanishes once more only thing time appearing in front of Star fire sending a left sided kick to the air born hero.

"I am sorry"

She whispers and her hand immediately rushes out to grasp his oncoming kick, Red-X is eyes widen when he feels the small hand crush his ankle as it intercepts the kicks. The tamaranian woman is hand flung him hard to the ground before a star volt connects whit his chest.

"Finish it!"

He screams at her, wanting this nightmare to be over but she does nothing, she knows his suit is damage, she knows that with his ankle crushed he is no threat to her, from the very beginning he never was.

"No…you and I we are going to talk"

"W-why?"

"You never stopped loving me….neither did I"

Cyborg looked at the fake Beast boy in front of him and frowned, the kid was tougher than he remembered, he had given the duplicated being two dead hits and so far nothing had happened. The copy only smirked and continued to regenerate the wounds as if they were nothing; focusing his cybernetic eye on the being, he noticed that there was something off about this beast boy.

"What is the matter cant figure out how to beat me?"

The changeling rushed towards him and transformed into a massive liger, slashing with the claws cyborg winced when he felt the claws dig into his arm, what ever this beast boy was, he was far stronger than the original, there was no way his claw could have been able to pierce his armor. Throwing the massive animal off of him he unleashed a wave of small missiles coming from his shoulders, the green animal immediately shifted and changed into a spider monkey evading and dodging the missiles.

"You are faster than I thought at morphing!"

The changeling smiled at him and morphed again only this time into a giant seven-foot big foot monster, Cyborg frowned when the thing moved a lot faster than it should for a beast of it size any. Jumping back from the hand swipe of the massive beast he counter attacked with a punch of his own only to see have the Big foot grab his hand and those him over his shoulder slamming him on the ground hard.

"UNGH!"

"Not so tough now are you Metal man!"

"BACK OFF!"

A massive boulder slams into the back of the big foot sending him to the ground; cyborg stands up and looks at terra who now lands beside him.

"Were is your guy?"

"I can't put a dent in her, any ideas?"

Cyborg knocks her down and lifts his sonic cannon unleashing a massive sonic blast towards the emerging Raven, the blast connects full force sending the copy flying backwards before slamming into the ground.

"No such luck"

Terra curses, she should have been more careful, raven nearly ambushed her from behind, if it wasn't for cyborg, she could be dead right now. Kid wicked is appears in front of them and the two look at him with surprised, had he taken care of star fire?

"Night wing has a theory"

He uses sign language to tell them and immediately terra and cyborg activate there communicators. Night wing Hearing in his ear piece the other is communicators switching on he knew that Kid wicked had reached them on time, looking at his opponent he could see the him regenerating before his very eyes, but while watching the battles all around him he had seen a pattern developed, they were keeping away from one another.

"Listen up guys, we need them to attack one another, this whole time they have been avoiding each other, keeping as far away from one another as possible which means"

Cyborg smirked, the kid was good, he could see why the old Batman had kept him around after the stunt he pulled, his eye landed on the figures before him and the scan finally managed to get trough.

"He's right y'all they are made from the same energy signature, meaning a hit from each one of them will disrupt the flow and end the fight in one go"

Terra nodded, running on the same energy signature meant that they needed to have a constant and continuous flow of that energy, if there attacks some how connected with one another it would disrupt there energy flow and negate there ability to regenerate.

"That's why our attacks failed so miserably, each time we blew them up or damaged them the other would compensate for that loss and fix what ever damage we cause…."

She jumped and rushed towards the fake Raven, the fake Raven rushed towards her also and slammed a dark energy claw onto Terra is flying Boulder, Terra knowing that was her intention immediately jumped out of the boulder and used the momentum that the explosion generated to sail straight towards Raven.

"GOT YOU!"

Terra is body slammed onto Raven is body sending both of them crashing downwards, Raven cursed when she felt Terra is hand clamp around her mouth, just like the real Raven she needed to chant that accursed mantra to utilize her powers.

" CYBORG!"

Beast boy jumped and dodged out of Cyborg is way he had overheard the titans is original conversation and was doing every thing in his power to avoid being caught by the mechanical titan; Kid wicked looked at the Fake star fire and smirked when the woman rushed towards him her eyes glowing a bright green.

"YOUR PLAN WILL FAIL"

The fake star fire froze when he saw the Titan point upwards, looking to were he was pointing at she cursed when she saw her original self-heading straight for her.

"IT HAS ALREADY SUCCEDED!"

The original Star fire slammed her fist straight trough the fake Star fire is torso sending the fake rushing towards the grown below, Cyborg smirked when he saw what had happened trough his Cybernetic eye, one more feet and that pale imitation of Logan would be no more. The fake Beast boy frowned when he saw Cyborg stop, why wasn't he chasing him?

"What's the matter tired?"

"Nah man, just look up"

The Fake star fire slammed into him and the fake Beast boy cursed when he felt a sharp pain rush trough out his body, the original Star fire landed beside Cyborg and nodded. The two immediately unleashed a combine blast of power, Star fire a concentrated blast of her Star bolts while Cyborg unleashed a super sonic blast from his hand cannon. As soon as it connected the two fakes screamed before, they began to melt into a puddle of genetic material.

"Clones….so they were not like the originals"

"They most certainly were not….The fake….he told me that Trigon did this….he visit the past when he restored azarath and while being there he also created them"

"He could have left a number of traps…why?"

Star fire closed her eyes, Cyborg was right, who know what other surprises awaited them, trigon had been in the past and had set up the resurrection of azarath along with these clones, whatever magic whatever spell he used to venture into the past had worked because they had just dealt with one of his little traps.

Kid wicked placed a hand on star fire and pointed at the place were Terra had managed to throw the fake Raven towards the Fake Cyborg before slamming a small mountain on top of them.

"We can't think of that later we need to focus on getting the tower operational again, then we need to deal with…."

Cyborg could see the pain in Star fire is eyes and frowned, this was not right, he knew that something had gone on between her and that duplicated Richard, what exactly he didn't know.

"I think I will leave that up to you and…."

Before he could say, any thing or the others could think about what there next move was a disturbance in the middle of the battle zone made them all stop what they were doing, immediately they saw the disturbance turned into a dark portal.

"Could it be?'

Night wing and Terra had joined the others and were now standing in front of the black portal, soon a figure emerged and they smiled when they saw Jinx come out of it.

"JINX!"

Cyborg smiled and was about to rush to her side when Light speed emerged from the portal followed by Changeling who was immediately wrapped in a Hug by his wife, Terra upon seeing her husband had immediately rushed towards him and wrap her arms around him.

"Were is?"

Night wing is words died in his throat when Batman stepped out along side Raven and two kids standing in front of them, Terra glared at Raven but Jinx is hand on her shoulder made her turned around to face her, when she saw jinx is face he could see the unspoken message.

"W-what the hell happened here?"

Light speed looked at the small island and the others looked at one another, it was going to be one hell of a long night.

CONTINUED…..


	16. Chapter 16

THE CHOSEN

Chapter: 16

"Clarity"

Trigon had created a devious plan, upon the completion of the prophecy he had began to mastermind a plan, one that if for any reason he should fail and were to be defeated would ensure his return. When freed he ha immediately sent a message to the past, that is why he took little noticed of the Teen titans attacking him, why he simply sat in the destroyed tower and concentrated on what needed to be done. A simply message to his past self had ensured Azarath is survival.

He had simply sealed off every single living soul into a pocket dimension, one dimension who was linked to his Soul, he could influence and manipulate as he saw fit, when he first manifested himself and freed himself from Raven he took every living thing from azarath and sealed them off making Raven believe that he had killed every one and thus forcing her to abandoned her home.

Trigon had also influence her decision, after all he had threatened to destroy the earth just as he had destroyed azarath, Raven realizing that her mother is home world was in danger immediately rushed to the planet and sought out heroes to aid her. The justice league was her first choice but after the others sensed the evil within her turned there backs on her and her plight for help.

Raven is mind was becoming more and more clear, she could see trough her father is eyes, she could see what he had done and now she was retelling her father is tale to them as if it was her own life she was telling. Now that the he was bound by her daughter is soul she could access his mind and gather all the information she needed.

"Batman told me of Richard and I sought him out"

The others nodded and Richard frowned that explained azarath is resurrection, Trigon had been freed from his imprisonment and so had began his plan to return.

"When he was freed the first time he brought azarath back or rather released the souls that he trapped there"

Raven nodded at his words and closed her eyes, she was a bit nervous and tired, every one was looking at her, wanting an explanation.

"When you went to hell for me…he saw an opportunity he could not ignore"

The other nodded in understanding, hell how could any one missed what he had done for Raven back then, Jinx, Light speed and Terra all exchanged a look and Logan smiled.

"The dude allied himself with Slade when to the deeps of hell and brought Raven back, hell if that didn't hint that he felt something more for raven than simple friendship I don't know what would"

Cyborg smacked the back of the Changeling is head and glared at him while pointing at a blushing Raven and a very tense Dark knight.

"We had bonded by then….so it was simple for him to see what we shared"

Raven is words made them all feel uncomfortable, Jinx nodded and looked at Richard who seem to want to just change the subject, seeing the discomfort on him she immediately did just that.

"That is when the manipulating began, so… explain him then"

Jinx pointed at a bound Red-X, the figure just held his head down with his eyes closed, Batman is eyes immediately rested on him and the other knew that this was going to get very complicated.

"Slade wanted an apprentice, when he first captured Richard he took some samples of his DNA and began to experiment on cloning"

Red-X is voice sailed trough the room and the original titans flinched, they all remember that occasion, how could they not, Robin had betrayed them, had turned on them and then when they were ready to treat him as nothing else but an enemy they discovered that he had betrayed them to save there lives.

"He was never successful was he"

Richard is voice made Red-X took a deep breath and nodded.

"There were others before me, all defective all died…but when Trigon offered Slade the chance to perfect his cloning technique he immediately jumped at the chance"

Cyborg closed his eyes and looked at Star fire, her whole body was trembling and her hands were clenched into trembling fists. Red-X looked at them and could see the anger in and surprised in there eyes, yet he refused to look at Star fire.

"After you lot defeated Trigon Slade immediately let me out of my incubation pod, he wanted me to train and become his little apprentice, I of course refused"

"You had other orders"

Richard is words made Red-X turn towards him, both men held there gazes, both of them confused and angry at one other.

"Yes, I was to substitute you on the team, take your place and eventually dispose of all of you…but by then you had fallen in love with Raven and I….."

He looked away and turned once more to staring at the ground, his feelings had never changed, he had always loved Star fire.

"By then Trigon was manipulating me and Richard into falling in love"

Raven put forward as a way of explanation, Richard how ever simply shakes his head.

"No, trigon didn't manipulate my emotions, I was already in love with you before he began to meddle in my head and emotions"

The confessions makes her want to gasp out loud but years of training her emotional response makes her maintain her calm exterior, the others all stare in surprised at him and despite knowing how he felt, they could help but wonder why he had said it out loud.

"How can you be so sure?"

Logan immediately regrets his words when he feels the glare of all in the room switch towards him, he simply smiles and scratches the back of his head.

"That is my business"

Logan nods and this time Terra looks at Red-X with pity in her eyes.

"You still love star fire?"

"Yeah, I do…t-that is why I tricked her into sleeping with me, why I tricked her into believing that I was just doing some undercover work as Red-X…she always believed that I was the real Richard….until"

Star fire closed her eyes, it was so easy back then.

"You were so distant, It was easy to believe the lie he told me"

Star fire told Richard, Raven watched the interaction and frowned, she couldn't help but feel jealous and wonder if Richard still had feelings for Star fire.

"She found out the night we slept together…I could no longer lie to her"

Red-X is words made them all turned towards Star fire, he had told her?

"He did…that is why I never told you guys who he really was, all I told you was that I was pregnant with Red-X is child which is the truth"

Terra and Light speed exchanged a look and Cyborg smiled, that was a conundrum, Kory was Red-X is child but had Richard is DNA, how weird was that.

"After I escaped Slade I gathered your respective DNA samples and proceeded to clone you…using a spell to infuse them with trigon is energy, I was not proficient in slade is cloning technology so I had to improvise"

"So that spell kept them alive until there energies were turned on them?"

Terra looked at him with a surprised expression on her face, the spell could have been written in a way that did not include that weakness, Red-X looked at her and smirked.

"Fail safe…just in case they betrayed there creator….me"

That made sense, Jinx closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"So let me get this straight, when Trigon first got free he devised a plan to return, by sending a message back to the past telling himself to trap all of the inhabitants of Azarath in a pocket dimension, later on her would free these people when he was defeated"

Raven nodded and jinx nodded, so far so good.

"After that you discovered Azarath was alive and well and decided to go home?"

"No, after a time myself and Richard began a relationship with one another one that weakened me enough for him to assert a certain control over Richard, myself and Slade"

Jinx nodded.

"After that you became pregnant and ran away from him and basically earth to return to your home"

"I did not know how to deal with the pregnancy and azarath kept asking me to return as its ruler…I fled and tried to forget every thing"

The others knew that part and nodded.

"After that Trigon began to get more involved even to a point were he controlled myself and Raven after I defeated Slade by then he was already making his move and had taken control of Matthias"

Richard is voice sounded trough and they nodded, it made sense, trigon was always involved, be it in endangering azarath or the earth there was always one thing keeping the titans of balance, keeping Raven on her toes and always making them lose sight of the fact that every thing was connected some how.

"So is it over?"

Light speed asked out loud and the other looked at one another, Red-X shook his head.

"It is. I was the last contingency he had, a last ditch effort to avenge him"

As each titan began to leave the room, only four remain behind, Richard and Star fire who stood before Red-X, the man refused to look at them.

"What are you going to do with me?"

"It will depend on Star fire"

With that said Richard leaves the room and Star fire looks at the man in front of her, she doesn't know what she can do, yet looking at him now she knows she had to do at least one thing for him.

"We will find a way to cure you…."

She releases his bindings and he nods, slowly she leaves the room and just as he is about to relax he senses a presence looming in the shadows.

"I know you are there"

Batman comes out of the shadows and glares at Red-X

"She is giving you a second chance…DON'T screw up"

"I wont….I am not even sure what to do now"

"One day at a time"

Red-X looks at the shadows and knows that Batman has left, in another room Cyborg looks at the damaged control panels before him and frowns, it would take a lot of work to get the tower back to its fullest operational capabilities.

"Every thing okay?"

Light speed enters the room with jinx along side him, despite the question Cyborg knows what they really want to know.

"The kids are ok, Angel should be back with them by morning"

Jinx nods and steps closer to the half man half machine friend.

"That is good to know Victor, but the question my husband made still stands"

Cyborg smiles at her, and knows that she is really worried about him, she only uses his name when she is being extremely serious, he wants to say that yeah every thing would be okay but he cant, his shoulders hunch over and he closes his eye.

"In time I think…I think we will all be okay, just been a rough couple of weeks ya know, I mean the kids were asking for ya none stop and….Damn her jinx, she just up and took you guys"

Light speed closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, Cyborg had a right to be angry, hell he is still angry, but he can also see that he was also dealing with other emotions besides anger right now.

"What the tin man is trying to say…is that we were all extremely worried"

Terra walks in hugging a very somber looking Changeling, Jinx nods in understanding as does Wally, it must of have been hell for them not knowing if they were all right.

"Terra was just telling me about our kids…seem we owe the tikes a trip to Disneyland or something"

Logan half smiles and the others grunt, yeah they only whished it could be that easy, Terra could feel the heavy silence wanting to land upon them, wanting to engulf them until every thing would become gloomy.

"So Richard has kids huh"

Light speed groans and Cyborg chuckles, Jinx merely smirks and Terra laughs out loud. In another part of the Tower Night wing slumped down a chair tried to wrap his head around what had happened, he didn't want to say any thing in front of the others, the whole thing sounded off like it was an inside matter, only privy to the founding members. To be truthfully he also didn't want to dwell to much on what had happened, the whole thing was settled so they all needed to look to what was coming next not to what had happened in the past.

"You doing okay kid?"

"Sore all over old man"

His com link opened up and Bruce is voice brought him back from his thoughts.

"That's what you get for putting the suit at maximum"

"Yeah I know, but well you hear the strange tale back there, evil Cyborg and all"

The com link remain silent for a while and terry smiled to himself, if he knew Bruce as well as he thought he did, he knew for a fact that the old man was trying to ask him about his son, the old geezer just didn't know how to breach the subject.

"Terry is Dick all right?"

He wanted to smirk and say something witty and funny, but the voice of the old man was to serious and filled with concern to do that.

"To be honest he seem fine….but with you guys well, it's hard to read"

A grunt came from the com link and terry smirked, he knew that Bruce knew what he was talking about.

"Some times I think I trained him to well"

Terry closes his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Some times Bruce I think you blame yourself to much, beside….if it wasn't for having you I don't think he would have been able to handle any of this"

"Thanks kid"

Terry smiled when he heard the com link shut down, those two really needed to have more of an open dialogue, looking at the shadows in the room he smirked when an all to familiar figure emerged from within them.

"Pops was worried?"

Terry nodded and saw Richard take off his hood.

"You should give him a call you know"

Terry smiled when he saw Richard Sit on the torn up couch beside him, he leaned back with his eyes closed looking up at the ceiling his head resting on the back support of the couch.

"I know"

"You doing ok bro?"

Richard shakes his head and Terry nods, of course he is not okay.

"Red-X still around?"

"Yeah, hopefully he has all of his things in order"

"You going to play the long lost twin card?"

"That or a long lost brother with my same DNA weirder stuff has come out in resent years you seen those spliced people right?"

Terry smirked, he sure as hell had, hell he had wanted to get panther's ears, he smirked at the memory and can understand why Red-X is presence if of little bother to Richard, hell the way he was taking the news it was almost as if he knew who was behind that helmet all along.

"Yeah guess no big deal there….w-what about You and Raven?"

This time he got a reaction from Richard, he glanced at him and shakes his head, standing up from the couch he looks out the window and takes a deep breath.

"The old man can handle every thing for her and her kids I got back to Gotham and every thing goes back to the way it was"

"Not that simple bro"

"It is, this is my life terry I chose what I want to make of it not her not you not any one, its my call"

Before Terry can say any thing else the hood is back on and Batman is back in the room his cold white eyes piercing into Terry is own and for just a moment Terry knows why this man is feared so much. He is not Richard Grayson right now, he is not his friend he is the Dark knight of Gotham, the immortal Batman the one who prowls the night and takes criminal to justice.

"D-don't do this man"

The Batman smiles before jumping out the window, Terry rushes after him and just as he is about to jump to follow him the Bat-mobile hovers in front of the window the Batman looks at him before the engines roar to life and he blast off into the night. Closing his eyes Terry shakes his head and turns back to the dark room only to find Raven staring at him.

"So he left"

"Because of you, because after every thing he has been trough he found the one thing he could not confront the only thing he is afraid of"

"He does not need to take responsibility for the children"

"You never could understand could you…he is in love with you still is and I…I am beginning to think that he will always be"

Raven gasped and took a step back from him, but he didn't want to hear her to see her, turning around Terry jumped out the window his rocket boots igniting and blasting off towards the night sky. In the room Raven falls on her knees her tears streaming down her face.

"I'm sorry"

She whispers into the dark room were no one can hear her, were she knows she can say what she feels with out any one knowing that she is hurting as much as he is.

TO BE CONCLUDED….


End file.
